LIFE DOES IT FOR YOU
We live in an imperfect world… and with imperfect people all around us. Above all, we are imperfect people, too.
This
imperfection should instill in us the wisdom not to keep unnecessary expectations
from people around us… Rather, keep them to the minimum and keep only
reasonable ones. Similarly, it should not turn us bitter when we see others
spreading false propaganda against us… even plot against us.
It is an
imperfect world, and people around us are imperfect. We, too, are imperfect.
So, people can be unreasonable, ungrateful and vengeful and vindictive.
The main
thing is that we have to live in this world and with the people around us. It
is important that we keep our respective faith in our values, our God and life
itself… in the goodness of life. We should remain buoyant… Pro-life.
The
persons who act mean towards us are there to make our faith in life even
stronger… and not to rob us of it. It is not for us to mete out punishment for
their meanness… We are not required to pass a decree on them – destroy them.
Life does
it for us… Our good Lord does it.
In the
Old Testament, Daniel was a good soul. He remained faithful and devoted to God
all his life. He served as an important official in the pagan kingdom of King-Darius.
Through his sheer hard work, honesty and integrity, David had risen through the
political ranks and become an influential and indispensable administrator in
Darius’ kingdom. King Darius had great affection and respect for Daniel. The
other officials were jealous of Daniel and they decided to plot against him.
So, they tricked their King to pass a decree that that during a 30-day
period, anyone who prayed to another God or man besides the king would be
thrown into the lions' den!
Daniel did not get affected by
this decree and kept firmly rooted in his faith. Thus, as planned, they caught
him, one day, kneeling down and facing Jerusalem,
and prying to God Jehovah. They reported this ‘crime’ to King Darius and
instigated him to punish the guilty. King Darius was helpless as the decree
demanded Daniel to be punished. So, at sunset, he reluctantly and with a heavy
heart, ordered his favorite official to be thrown into the den of lions.
That night, the King was in
great sorrow. His guilt did not allow him to eat or sleep the whole night. At
the dawn, the next day, he rushed to the den to see the state of Daniel. A
pleasant shock was in store for him: Daniel was all playful there with the
lions in the prison!
“How did you do it?” the King
asked him with great relief.
“My God did it,” Daniel replied.
The King realized how he was
misled to destroy Daniel. He immediately ordered that the officials who plotted
against Daniel, along with their wives and children, be thrown into the den of
lions. At the same time, he passed another decree that people should worship Daniel’s
God as a true God.
You do not have to believe in this story. You
have to only believe in the goodness of life… That, if you remain faithful and committed
in your good work, the Life – call it Good Lord – will protect you…
Punishing those who plot against you, is not your
work…
Life does it for you… Yes, the Good God does
it.
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Malabika Ganguly
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... Manoj