Here’s a story for you: A wise old man was sitting at the river bank when he saw a cat that had fallen into the water, flailing around, trying to save itself from drowning.
The man decided to save the cat. He stretched his hand out but was scratched by the cat. He pulled his hand back in pain.
However, a minute later he stretched his hand out again, but it scratched him again, and again he pulled his hand back in pain.
Another minute later he was yet again trying for the third time!!
A man, who was nearby watching what was happening, yelled out: “O wise man, you have not learned your lesson the first time, nor the second time, and now you are trying to save the cat a third time?”
The wise man paid no heed to that man’s scolding, and kept on trying until he managed to save the cat.
He then walked over to the man, and patted his shoulder saying: “My son.. it is in the cat’s nature to scratch, and it is in my nature to love and have sympathy. Why do you want me to let the cat’s nature overcome mine!
And that’s what we need to remember today, that even as like the cat, everything around us cries out to us to lower our standards, we shouldn’t: You may have a neighbor using foul language, again and again and again, that doesn’t mean you do the same, and going deeper, that doesn’t mean you don’t help that same neighbor when he or she is in distress!
Or, it could be a boss who isn’t blessed with a good nature. You want to reach and hit back, but don’t.
A family member who gets your goat every day, well don’t stop loving him or her. Finally, even after being scratched, you will rescue the cat!
So treat people according to your nature, not according to theirs, no matter what they are like and no matter how numerous are their actions that harm you and cause you hurt sometimes.
And do not pay heed to all the voices that loudly call out to you to leave behind your good qualities merely because the other party is not deserving of your noble actions.
You be yourself, and let your good flow out.
Do not lower your standards to that of the people around: If they scratch you, do not scratch back, because if you keep your standards high, sometime later the cat, or those people who observe you will realize that it’s worth being like you!
Don’t lower your standards, because, you are the standard bearer of the One above..!
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??Blessed day Bob!
Be true to yourself..
Well said Bob! But will we ever reach out each time?
A difficult task to implement!
Appears illogical but with- HIMPOSSIBLE.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God..an eye for an eye..tooth for a tooth..does not take us far..must go beyond..walk the extra mile..if we want to better ourselves..cause practice makes one perfect!
Become like the Standard bearer of the One above..is the key phrase! We have to take the scratching till we become like Him…
If we can b influenced by some body’s bad behavior it us possible he may b influenced by our good behavior. We must not lose faith
Wonderful moral
A wake up call Bob….Christlikeness….Only with HIS help….
Bobby very wisely put as in the Bible too Jesus told us to return good for evil.The father of our nation agreed saying that if an eye for an eye was practiced there’d be many thousands of one eyed people in each nation