Six Motivation Inspiring Stories | Be Careful While Telling The Truth | Pray Twice A Day | When Can Your Action Be Always Right? | When Right The Man The World Will Be Perfect | How Do You Measure Spiritual Growth? | Be Courageous

1# Be Careful While Telling the Truth 

There is an old tale of Satan walking around in the street of life, sulking in the shadows with his hunting dogs, the little imps of human weakness. A man Ragu, came walking down the street and Satan spotted him. He told the imp to go and get him.

Quickly, the imp crossed the street silently and lightly hopped on to the man’s shoulder. In his ear, he whispered, You are discouraged! The man replied, No, I am not. Louder and more decidedly, the little imp repeated, “Yes, you are discouraged.” Ragu cropped his head and murmured, “Well, I suppose I am.” The little imp darted back to Satan and said proudly, “I’ve got him. He’s discouraged.” Another man, Ramu passed and this time Satan spotted him and gave ditto instructions to the little imp.

The proud demon of discouragement repeated his tactics. The first time he said to Ramu that he was discouraged, Ramu flatly refused to accept it. The second time too, the demon aggressively told him that he was discouraged. This time Ramu denied it even more emphatically. When the demon approached him for the third time, he said something to the demon. The demon got discouraged and came to Satan and informed him that he was discouraged himself. 

QUESTIONS

1. What did Ramu say to the demon that discouraged him?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. Ramu replied rather harshly, Lies, you are a liar, I am not discouraged! Now go away and leave me alone, you liar!

2. Truth burns. Telling a crippled person that he is blind will not bother him. Tell him that he is crippled and he will get wild. Call a dishonest person dishonest and he will get mad. Call a liar a liar and he will flatly refute it and pounce upon you. This is applicable to all the bad

qualities of a human being and not for the good qualities. Tell a hardworking person that he is hard working and he would feel elated.

Therefore, when bad qualities are to be pointed out, remember the dictum that ‘Truth burns’. Be tactful in your approach. 

2# Pray Twice a Day

Napoleon Bonaparte was the ruler of France. He believed deeply in God and religion. Following is an incident to prove this Once,  the schedule of a newly built school for girls was shown to him. Among the various regulations, he read the following.  The young ladies shall attend the prayers twice a week.’

Napoleon then took a pen and made a correction and submitted the schedule back to the school authorities. The principal on reading the corrected version was very impressed with Napoleon and followed his correction.

QUESTIONS

1. What was the correction made by Napoleon?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. Napoleon took a pen and struck the words ‘twice a week’ and changed them to ‘twice a day.

2. Napoleon had firm faith in the efficacy of prayer. He insisted that the girls should pray in the morning and also in the evening.

In the morning the prayer is the Key that opens to us the treasure of God’s mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that shuts us up under His protection and safeguard.

 

3# When Can Your Action Be Always Right?

The disciples of the Master would frequently be absorbed in the questions of right and wrong, and sometimes they arrived at an evident answer. But sometimes, the answer would be very elusive.

The Master, even if he was present, would never take part in such discussions. Once, however, he was confronted with this question, Is it right to kill someone who seeks to kill me or is it wrong?

The Master replied, “How should I know?”

The shocked disciple answered, “Then how would we tell the right from the wrong?” The Master said something that explained everything to his disciples.

QUESTIONS

1. What did the Master say?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. The Master said,  While alive, be dead to your-self.  Be totally dead. Then act as you will and your action will always be right.

2. The sentence, ‘While alive, be dead to yourself’ refers to detachment. Paradoxically, the more detached we are while performing any activity, the greater the possibility to achieve expertise.

When there is no attachment to anything, the intention to manipulate or to commit any mistake is far-fetched. Detachment brings peace of mind. A person will never commit any sin while his mind is calm and quiet, serene and tranquil.

4# Set Right The Man The World Will Be Perfect

There was a strict disciplinarian father. He had a brilliant daughter who was noted for being mischievous. One day, he was trying to concentrate on some work but his daughter would not leave him alone.

To get her busy, he took a world map from the newspaper, cut it into different sizes and asked her to put it back again. The girl finished the task very soon. She called her father and told him that she had finished her task.

The father was surprised at her dexterity and asked her how she was able to manage it. The girl replied…

QUESTIONS

1. What was the girls reply?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS 

1. The girl replied, “Behind the world map was the picture of a man. When the man was set right, the world fell into place.”

2. People make the world. Set the man right and the world will be set right. All the major problems of the world are created by man himself.

5# How Do You Measure Spiritual Growth?

One day, a disciple asked his Master, Is there a way to measure my spiritual growth? The Master said, “There are several ways to do that. Give us one,” requested the disciple. The Master spoke.

QUESTIONS

1. What did the Master say to his disciple?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS

1. Find out how many times you become emotionally upset in the course of a single day. Maintain a record of it. When the number goes down, you are on your way to spiritual growth.

2. Spiritual strength can be gauged on the basis of equanimity of the mind. When a person is spiritually strong, he does not struggle, for he understands that he is being led through the work that the supreme within him must do.

He does not suffer pain or defeat, for he sees that in the end, there is victory and joy for his true self.

 

6# Be Courageous

February 1975 witnessed a horrible and a tragic accident, the crashing of an underground train against a stone wall at Moorgate Station, London, killing 41 people. This accident had injured a 19-year-old policewoman named Margaret. She found herself sitting on the floor with one of her legs under her body and a man on top of her.

Neither could move without hurting the other. In the darkness and the stench of all the other dead bodies surrounding them, she decided to help the man get up.

You are being very brave,” the man said. “I have to be,” she answered. “I am a policewoman.” The firemen who reached the spot a little late, tried to pull them out but Margaret’s left leg was trapped under the huge steel girder. 

By the time they reached the hospital, Margaret had lost a lot of blood and the doctors suggested that it was best they amputate her leg, and so, her left foot was amputated. Everyone who knew her was horrified and pitied her fate.

QUESTIONS

1. What did she do further?

2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWERS 

1. She marvelled everyone around with her ability to laugh and tell jokes despite the terrible tragedy. Within two days, she was sitting up in the hospital chatting cheerfully with the

visitors. Her courage received a lot of appreciation the world over. More than all the gifts and cards, she won everyone’s hearts as well!

2. Fear lies in the mind. True courage comes from looking fear in the eye, bravely. Margaret inspired many people around the world, and became a true trendsetter. She could have sat down and cursed her destiny, but she didn’t do so. Her story is a lesson for all those who think their life is miserable and helpless.