1# Duty First And Study Next
A famous French
preacher named Bossuet was appointed as the Bishop by the King. He was a very
learned person and would devote most of his time to studies. Due to his avid interest
to study more, many people who wanted to consult him had to go home without meeting
him.
One day, the King wanted to know the opinion
of the people and asked them how they liked the newly-appointed Bishop. The King
expected a very positive response from them, as the Bishop was very learned and
intelligent. But the reply of the people made him ponder the issue.
QUESTIONS
1. What was the
reply of the people?
2. What is the
implication of this story?
ANSWERS
1. The people
replied, We like him pretty well. But to tell you the truth, we would have
preferred a Bishop who had finished his education, for whenever we called on
him, we were told that he was at his studies.
2. It is good to
study to acquire knowledge, but not at the cost of others’ inconvenience. The
Bishop had the laudable quality of studying, but as a Bishop he should have devoted
equally sufficient time for consultation to his people.
2# Be Shrewd And
Intelligent
There was a young lady who had gotten into a trap of legal hassles and as a result, had to regularly visit the court. One day, she was called onto the witness stand and was asked her age by the prosecutor. “I don’t know,” she replied. The prosecutor said, Now look here, Miss.
This is the court of law and you have sworn to tell the truth. Yes, but you told me earlier that I must only tell what I know to be the truth and not hearsay, retorted the young lady. I did indeed! thundered the prosecutor.
Well, replied the young lady, I cannot tell you my age because my mother told me the year I was born and that’s hearsay evidence, isn’t it?
QUESTIONS
1. What was the reaction of the judge?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWERS
1. The witness is excused from answering the questions, ruled the judge suppressing a giggle.
2. Some people by nature are inclined to conceal their age. Nevertheless,
the strategy adopted by the woman in this story is quite appreciable.
3# Examine And Correct Your
Faulty Life People came from far and near to hear the sermons of a priest who was noted for his ability to make people change their lives.
In one of his sermons, he said to the people, “What would you do if your automobile broke down? Examine it and correct it. What would you do if your television set became faulty?
Examine it and correct it. What would people do when their lives become faulty?” The priest himself gave the answer.
QUESTIONS
1. What
are the answers given by the priest?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWERS
1. (i)
When your automobile breaks down, you will examine and repair it.
(ii) When your television set does not work, you will bring the mechanic and set it right.
(iii) When your life becomes faulty, you will never examine and take corrective measures to improve your life.
2. The implication of the story is that people are quite practical with their cars and televisions. Unfortunately, they are not practical when their lives get damaged in one way or the other.
Telling them to examine and correct their lives may sound simple. Instead of examining their lives, people search for some mysterious formulas to solve all their problems. There is more health in eating one apple than in reading an entire book about apples.
4# Who Is A Genius?
A writer once arrived at a monastery to write a biography of the Master. “People say you are a genius. Are you?” the writer asked him during an interview. “You might say so,” said the Master none too modestly.
And what makes
a person a genius? asked the writer. The ability to recognize, answered the Master.
Recognize
what? asked the writer once again.
The ability to recognize a butterfly in the caterpillar, an eagle in an egg, the saint in a selfish human being and... a child in you.
QUESTION
1. What did the writer understand from what the Master explained?
ANSWERS
1. The Master meant to say that a genius is someone who can spot the underutilized or hidden potential that needs to be tapped in a person. The extraordinary in an ordinary can only be seen by a genius.
5# Be Dedicated
A very shrewd and successful businessman was on his deathbed. The end was very near. As expected, his family had gathered around him. The dying man asked if his elder son was present there. Somebody said yes.
Then he went on to inquire about his
next son and again got a positive response. Later, he called out to find out
whether all other children were there. For which too, he got a positive answer.
All the family members were present at his bedside. Suddenly, he became very angry and almost shouted.
QUESTIONS
1. What do
you think the businessman shouted for?
2. What is the implication of this story?
ANSWERS
1. The businessman yelled at everyone present there, If all of you are up here, who the hell is taking care of the shop down below?
2. The man was really a businessman till his death. Such total dedication to his business alone made him a successful businessman and he could amass fabulous wealth.
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