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There were four towns. In each town people were starving to death. Each town had one bag of seeds. In the first town no one knew what seeds could do. No one knew how to plant them; so, everyone starved to death. In the second town one person knew what seeds were and how to plant them; he did nothing about it for one reason or another. Everyone starved to death. In the third town one person knew what seeds were and how to plant them. He offered to plant them if made the king. All ate, all were ruled, too. In the fourth town one person knew what seeds were and how to plant them. He not only planted the seeds, he taught everyone gardening. All ate, and all were free and lived joyfully together.
The above Sufi story speaks of four attitudes. In the first town ignorance leads to death. In the second town failure to act leads to death. In the third town greed for power leads to dominance over the people. In the fourth town generosity leads to life and joyful fellowship for everyone. Of the final three towns, where one person knew what to do for the survival of the people, only the last acted wisely and in goodwill for all persons.
We each have been given a bag of seed to assist other persons in finding and enjoying true Life, the Life of Spirit. Ignorance is no excuse, for we have ample opportunities to learn. Inaction and procrastination is an act of selfishness, when we have the means to help other persons. Bargaining to give only when we are going to receive a reward is, also, selfish. The bag of seed, the opportunities and gifts we are given as a sacred trust, is to be offered in gratitude to the Creator and in graciousness toward all whom we are to serve. We are here to help make each other’s life better. We must join our gifts to do so, for everyone.
In Acts 10, St. Peter preaches in Cornelius' house:
37 You know the story yourselves. It was told in all the country of Judea. It began in the country of Galilee after the preaching of John the Baptist. 38 God gave Jesus of Nazareth the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good and healing all who were troubled by the devil because God was with Him. 39 We have seen and heard everything He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And yet they killed Him by nailing Him to a cross. (NLV)
Let us use our God-given spiritual gifts and opportunities wisely, not excusing ourselves from being humble servants to all persons. We are to learn how better to serve. We are to be diligent, not lazy. We are to serve without seeking to gain dominance over other persons. We are to serve, helping other persons with the knowledge, experience, and spiritual gifts given to us for their good and the building of communion in community. We, like Jesus Christ, and in Christ's Name, or to go about doing good.
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