Filed under: Wisdom Lover
One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.
What is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?
The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.
In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.
Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.
Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.
Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.
The responses to the second question also lacked accord.
One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.
The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.
The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.
After searching for so long time, which is the longest part of the story, finally he got the answer after visit one hermit. What do you think the answers for these three questions?
I think all of us know the answer for the first question, but we often forget it. Of course the most important time is Now! Now is the only moment over which we have dominion. We have no dominion over past or future, only present, and its will decide what will happen in the future and it will create the memory of the past. If you want to tell to your son, daughter, wife, or husband how much you love them, or how much you grateful to God for having them, do it now, don’t wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow can be too late. If you want to express apologize to your friends for some mistake that you had been done, expressed it now. Sometimes we too regret about the past and to anxious about the future. We are enslaved with our regret and chained by our anxious, by the expense of the present. We forget to thank God, for what he had done in the past, and we forget to surrender our future in His hands, which only we can do in present time. The regret about past make us coward and the anxious about tomorrow make us not willing to take any risks. We even forget the assurance given by God to our live. Jesus said “And which of you by his anxious can add a cubit to his span of life?” (Luke 12:25)
Then, the 2nd question; who are the most important person? The answer meant so deeply for me. And the answer is… the person with whom you are, who is right before you. Now, you, teachers and staffs, are the most important person for me. I want you understand the message that was delegated by God for me to be told for you this morning. In the classroom latter, my students will be the most important person for me.
What is the answer for the third questions, what is the most important thing to do? The hermit told the emperor, that the most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at your side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life. By this third answer, I summarize all answer as caring. Yes, caring to everyone that you face today. What is caring? Care is love in action. It’s a manifestation and implementation of love. Love is one of the foundations of Christian believes. Our faith without love is fain. But love isn’t enough with pity and sympathy. Love must be implemented with caring. Jesus had showed us how important care is. When Jesus saw so many people follow him and with empty stomach, he decided to multiply little bread and fish until it’s sufficient to supply the needs of so many people. By His care, Jesus made a miracle. But even we now, you and I can make a miracle by caring. Care is a little thing that can lead to a miracle. Start to care to day, and you will see that there a miracle of love surrounds us because care is a little thing that can make the big difference.
At the end of the story, by knowing all the answers from those three questions, the emperor not only satisfied his curiosity, but also makes new friends, reconciles with his enemies, and escaped from an effort to kill him. He also became a better person and governs his kingdom wisely.
For us, if we care, give an attention and do our best to help all people surround us, we not only able to make new friends, or reconcile with our enemy. Or become a better person, but also, through the implementation of love, love in action… Care, we also reflect the image of our God.
By; Jagan Siva Khan
