Wisdom 9

In the previous article, we talked about the imprudence and rashness of the Chancellor of Harvard University that caused his loss, also about the wisdom and justice of God’s men and the wise, just judges. Today, we are continuing our talk about some parables and situations.

A wise person makes the right decisions:
The Scripture says: “A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength”. It also says: “Who is like a wise man?” and “Who knows the interpretation of a thing?” So the wise man is able to make the right decisions, which will be the main source of his household’s prosperity, his work and everything he does. For his decisions are based on wisdom, granted to him by God Almighty, and he used it, developed it through patience, work and learning from life and its experience, so it became his lifestyle, achieving continued success.

Hence, I am presenting two stories, one about a company director, the other about an emperor, each of whom made a decision of his choice, and their wisdom anchored their ships at the harbor of success.

A manager’s wisdom:
The first story is about one of the wisest directors where it came to choosing the company’s employees, when an academically successful youth applied for a managerial position at this major company.

The youth passed all initial tests and interviews, and had only one last interview, after which the decision to hire him would be settled. The company director noticed from his CV that the youth was academically most superior, especially during high school and university.

When the time came for the interview, the director asked the brilliant youth: “Did you obtain any scholarships during your education?” “No”, the youth answered.
“Did your father pay all your academic fees?”he asked further.

Then, the youth answered that his mother paid all the academic fees, because his father passed away when he was one year old. The director asked him about his mother’s work. The youth told him that she worked at washing clothes. Then the director asked the youth to show him his hands, and found them smooth and soft, so he asked: “Have you ever helped your mother in washing clothes before?”The youth answered: “Never, for she is keen that I do nothing except study, besides, she washes faster than I!”
The director asked the youth to go wash his mother’s hands when he got home, and come back to meet him the next morning.

When the youth returned home, he asked his mother to let him wash her hands, expressing his optimism at getting the job. The mother was overwhelmed with joy for him, yet she felt his request was weird, however, she stretched out her hands.

As the youth was washing his mother’s hands, his tears began to fall, for it was the first time he noticed how much her hands were wrinkled and had bruises so painful, such that she was trembling when touched by water!!

At that time, the youth realized it was these hands that enabled him to complete his studies, and the bruises on her hands were not only the price of his graduation, but also his academic superiority and his future.
After he had finished washing his mother’s hands, he quietly washed all the remaining clothes for her!

In the morning, the youth went to the office of the company director, who asked him what he had done and learned. The youth answered that after he had washed his mother’s hands, he washed all the remaining clothes for her. Then the director asked him about his feelings, and the youth answered that he perceived the meaning of gratitude, for if it had not been for his mother’s sacrifice, he would have not been a brilliant student. And he added that, when he had done the work for her, he realized how hard the work and effort exerted were.

Then the director said: “This is exactly what I was looking for in the manager I shall hire for this job, a person who appreciates others’ help and appreciates their work also. Son, you are hired!”

With time, that director’s decision proved wise, for the youth worked very hard, very proactively, appreciating all work done by others, thus he earned the respect and love of all his assistants. All the employees worked faithfully as a team and the company achieved tremendous success.

An emperor’s wisdom:
As for the second story, it is about a wise old emperor in the Far East, who perceived that it was time to choose his successor, so he decided that he would neither choose one of his assistants, nor his own children, nor the commander of his army, rather he decided to do something different.

One day, the emperor called all the young people of the kingdom to his palace, and told them that it was time to choose the next emperor, and he would choose one of them. They couldn’t believe their ears!

The emperor continued to announce that he would give each and every one a very special seed to plant, water and come back after one year with its fruits. Then, he would examine the plants they would bring, after that the next emperor would be chosen.

One of the youth named Ling received a seed like the others, and when he returned home, he told his mother in excitement what had happened, so she helped him prepare a spot and soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully, watching its growth. Three weeks later, he began to hear the other youth talking about their seeds that were beginning to grow.

As for him, he kept checking his seed every day when he got home, however, nothing ever sprouted. Several weeks passed by, even six months, still nothing! While others were talking about their plants, he didn’t have even one, and he felt like a failure.

Ling didn’t say anything to his companions, however, as he kept watching over his seed, waiting for it to grow.
A year passed by, and the time came for the emperor to examine the plants.

Ling told his mother that he didn’t want to go, taking along an empty pot, but she encouraged him to go and take his pot even if it was empty, and be honest and faithful in telling what happened.

Despite his pain, Ling obeyed his mother, took his empty pot and went to the palace. There, he saw the various plants with the other youths; they were really beautiful. As soon as Ling put his empty pot on the floor, many people laughed at him, while others sympathized with him.

When the emperor arrived, he greeted the youths, admiring their plants. As for Ling, he hid himself at the back of the hall. The emperor said: “Today, one of you will be chosen to become the next emperor!”

Suddenly, the emperor caught sight of Ling with his empty pot! So he ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified, and he thought it would be the end of his life!

When Ling got to the emperor, he was asked his name. “My name is Ling”, he answered. The emperor looked at him and announced: “Behold, your new emperor. His name is Ling!!!

Everybody was too astonished to speak! For how would he be the chosen emperor, while he could not grow his seed?!The emperor continued: “A year ago, I gave each of you a seed and asked you to plant it and bring it back to me, but I had given you all boiled seeds which could not grow! All of you, except Ling, have brought plants, as you found that the seed didn’t grow, and exchanged it with another seed.

As for Ling, he was the only one who had the courage, faithfulness and honesty to bring an empty pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he will be the new emperor.

Perhaps it is a symbolic story, yet it matches the words of Solomon the Wise: “The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.”
To be continued…