A student complained to his learned teacher
about the difficulties he has to endure in his life. He came from a very poor
family and had to look after his home and support his aged and sick parents and
his younger siblings by working hard every day after the classes in school
while his wealthy class-mates could play and rest without any stress or strain.
He was almost exhausted and had even thought about committing suicide.
The wise teacher gave him a carrot and an egg to examine. He was
asked to comment on their hardness. He said that the carrot was sufficiently
hard that it cannot be crushed by hands. The egg could be easily cracked and
the liquid contents would leak out with ease. Then the teacher put the carrot
and egg together in a pan, added some water to cover the articles and then
boiled the water over the flame.
After some time, the teacher took out the articles from the pan
and asked for the comments of the student. The boy observed that the carrot,
which was hard earlier, had become very soft after boiling. The egg, on the
other hand, became very hard during the boiling. Its contents had solidified
and now would not flow out even when the shell is shattered.
The teacher told the boy, “Earlier, you were like the carrot. Your
courage and strength of mind were lost when you were exposed to the hard
realities of life. You became weak and could be smashed easily.” Next, he
displayed the egg and told, “Be like the egg. You are soft and tender by
nature, but the adversities of life should make you bolder and stronger. Then
you can gain the courage to face any harsh moments with confidence.” He then
narrated the biography of successful persons who could overcome the hard times
of early life with confidence and earnest efforts.
Bible tells in John 12:24, a grain of wheat remains no more than
a single grain unless it is dropped into the ground and dies. If it does die,
then it produces many grains.
**********************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment