malankara marthoma syrian church Rev.Dr. G.Varghese Purohitha Dharshanam

GO AN EXTRA MILE; IT IS REWARDING

A man was asked to paint a boat.

He brought with him paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.

While painting, he noticed that there was a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it.

When finished painting, he received his money and left.

The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a cheque, much higher than the payment for painting.

The painter was surprised and said "You've already paid me for painting the boat Sir!"

"But this is not for the paint job. It's for having repaired the hole in the boat."

"Ah! But it was such a small service... certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant."

"My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention about the hole.  When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.  They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time.

When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole. Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.

Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed."

So, no matter who, when or how. Just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the 'leaks' you find, because you never know when one is in need of us or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.

You may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' along the way... of several people without realizing how many lives you've saved. Keep up the good work.

I take this opportunity, as we enter another year, to praise God for enabling me to repair a few boat holes last year and also thank everyone who repaired my boat this year in every way like Good Wishes, thoughts, love, care and prayers!

COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY

A Story that helps us to reflect  and introspect:

“I was jogging this morning and I noticed a person about  half a km ahead. I could guess he was running a little slower than me and I felt good, I said to myself  I will try  catch up with him. I had about a km before I needed to turn off. So I started running faster and faster.

Every block, I was gaining on him just a little bit. After just a few minutes I was only about 300 feet behind him, so I really picked up the pace and pushed myself.

You would have thought I was running in the last leg of an Olympic competition. I was determined to catch up with him.

Finally, I did it! I caught up and passed him. Inwardly I felt very good. "I beat him". Of course, he didn't even know we were racing.

After I passed him, I realized I had been so focused on competing against him that I had missed my turn to my house. I had gone nearly six blocks past my turn and I had to turn and go back.

It then dawned on me, isn't that what happens in life when we focus on competing with co-workers, neighbours, friends, family, trying to outdo them or trying to prove that we are more successful or more important and in the bargain we miss on our happiness within our own surroundings?

We spend our time and energy running after them and we miss out on our own paths to our given destination. The problem with unhealthy competition is that it's a never ending cycle.

There will always be somebody ahead of you, someone with a better job, nicer car, more money in the bank, more education, a prettier wife, a more handsome husband, better behaved children, better circumstances and better conditions etc. But one important realization is that 'You can be the best that you can be, when you are not competing with anyone.'

Some people are insecure because they pay too much attention to what others are, where others are going, wearing and driving. Take whatever you have, the height, weight and personality. Dress well and wear it proudly, you are blessed. Stay focused and live a healthy life! There is no competition in Destiny. Each has his/her own.”

Comparison is the thief of joy; so run your own race.

CHECK YOUR HEARING ABILITY BEFORE JUDGING OTHER'S?

A man feared that his wife wasn’t hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.

“Here’s what you do,” said the Doctor, “stand about 40 feet away from her, and speak in a normal conversational tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.”

That evening, the wife was in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, “I’m about 40 feet away, let’s see what happens.” Then in a normal tone, he asks, "Honey, what’s for dinner?” No response!

So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Still no response!

Next, he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Again he gets no response. So, he walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. “Honey, what’s for dinner?” Again there is no response!

So he walks right up behind her. “Honey, what’s for dinner?”

“James, for the FIFTH time I’ve said, CHICKEN!”

The problem may not be with the other one as we always think; it could be very much within us!

PREJUDICE: THE CAUSE OF MISUNDERSTANDING

Peter was very helpful, kindhearted, and generous. He used to help anyone in need.  One day while walking into a dusty road, he saw a purse, so he picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman showed up and got him arrested.

The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, “It was empty when I found it, Madam.” The woman yelled at him, “Please give it back. It’s for my son’s school fees.”

The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his money.  He could say that the woman was a single mother.  The man said, “Take these, sorry for the inconvenience.”  The woman left and a policeman held the man for further questioning.

The woman was very happy but when she counted her money, later on, it was doubled, she was shocked.  One day while the woman was going to pay her son’s school fees towards the school, she noticed that some skinny man was walking behind her.  She thought that he may rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby.  He was the same policeman, who she took along to inquire about her purse.  The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that man collapsing.  They ran at him and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested a few days back for stealing the purse.

He looked very weak and the woman was confused.  The policeman said to the woman, “He didn’t return your money; he gave you his money that day.  He wasn’t the thief but hearing about your son’s school fees, he felt sad and gave you his money.”  Later, they helped the man stand up, and the man told the woman, “I saw you and followed you to be sure that no one steals your money!”   The woman was speechless.

Life gives you strange experiences, sometime it shocks you and sometimes it may surprise you. We end up making wrong judgments or mistakes in our anger, desperation and frustration. However, when you get a second chance, correct your mistakes and return the favor. Be kind and generous. Learn to appreciate what you are given.

GIVE JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ROOTS STRONGER

Once upon a time, there were two neighbors living next to each other. One of them was a retired teacher and another was an insurance agent who had a lot of interest in technology. Both of them had planted different plants in their garden. The retired teacher was giving a small amount of water to his plants and didn’t always give a full attention to them, while the other neighbor interested in technology, had given a lot of water to his plants and looked after them too well.

The retired teacher’s plants were simple but looked good. The insurance agent’s plants were much fuller and greener. One day, during the night, there was a heavy rain and a wind due to a minor storm. Next morning, both of the neighbors came out to inspect the damage to their garden. The neighbor who was an insurance agent saw that his plants came off from the roots and were totally destroyed. But, the retired teacher’s plants were not damaged at all and were standing firm.

The insurance agent neighbor was surprised to see it, he went to the retired teacher and asked, “We both grew the same plants together, I actually looked after my plants better than you did for yours, and even gave them more water. Still, my plants came off from the roots, while yours didn’t. How is that possible?”

The retired teacher smiled and said, “You gave your plants more attention and water, but because of that they didn’t need to work themselves for it.  You made it easy for them.  While I gave them just an adequate amount of water and let their roots search for more.   And, because of that, their roots went deeper and that made their position stronger.  That is why my plants survived”.

This story is about parenting where children are like plants.  If everything is given to them, they will not understand the hard work it takes to earn those things.  They will not learn to work themselves and respect it.  Sometimes it’s best to guide them instead of giving them.   Teach them how to walk, but let them follow their path.

WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?

A priest, passing through his church in the middle of the day, decided to pause by the altar to see who came to pray. Just then the back door opened, and a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while. His shirt was torn and shabby, and his coat was worn and frayed. The man knelt down and bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed at precisely noon, the preacher saw this chap: each time he knelt just for a moment and went off. The minister's suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear, and he decided to stop and ask the man, “What are you doing here?”

The old man said, “I am a factory worker and lunch is half an hour. Lunchtime is my prayer time to derive strength and power. I stay only a moment because the factory's far away. As I kneel here talking to the Lord, this is kind of what I say: I just came by to tell You, Lord, how happy I have been, since we found each other’s friendship and you took away my sin! I don’t know how to pray, but I think about You every day. So Jesus, This Is Ben, Just Checking In Today.”

The minister, feeling foolish, told Ben that it was fine. He told the man that he was welcome to pray there anytime. “It's time to go, and thanks,” Ben said as he hurried to the door. Then the minister knelt there at the altar, which he'd never done before. His heart melted, warmed with love, as he met with  Jesus there. As the tears flowed down his cheeks, He repeated old Ben's prayer: “I just came by to tell You, Lord, how happy I have been, since we found each other’s friendship and you took away my sin! I don’t know how to pray, but I think about You every day. So Jesus, This Is Ben, Just Checking In Today.”

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Ben hadn't come. As more days passed and still no Ben, hence he began to worry about something might have happened to him. He went into the factory and found that Ben was ill and admitted in the hospital.

The week that Ben was in the hospital, changes started to usher in the ward. His smile and joy was contagious.  The head nurse couldn't understand why Ben could be so glad even when no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed, He voiced the nurse's concern: No friends had come to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn. Looking surprised, old Ben spoke up and with a winsome smile;  “The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know, He's been here all the while. Every day at noon He comes here, a dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down and takes my hand, leans over and says to me: “I Just Came By To Tell You, Ben, How Happy I Have Been, Since We Found This Friendship, And I Took Away Your Sin. I Think About You Always, And I Love To Hear You Pray. And So Ben, This Is Jesus, Just Checking In Today.'

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart... May God hold you in the palm of His hand and Angels watch over you.