I have heard many people either refer to themselves as self-made or say that someone else is self-made. I do understand the emotion behind this and the fact that some people have worked very hard to come up in life. They haven’t had God fathers’ or sponsors making sure that they would have an easy ride. Such people have also sacrificed a lot of things to reach where they are and their life is a true inspiration for many.
But on the other hand,
even though hard work matters, there are several other factors which lead to
success. In St. Mark 4: 3-8, Jesus narrates the parable of the sower. He says, “Listen!
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and
the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had
not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; and
when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it
yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain,
growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
The parable is explained
by Jesus as how different people respond to the word of God. The successful
ones are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit. But I would
like to look at this passage as how a community plays an important role in the
moulding of an individual. Even though the hard work and consistency of an individual
are important, the role played by the community, by a certain environment and
people are equally important. When the own family of a person does not help,
other friends or total strangers become family. When a community does not
encourage one of their own, other people group together to become a positive
community. And when all factors turn negative, God by God’s self will provide
in miraculous ways.
Sometimes our society
becomes too individualistic both ways. Those who are ambitious in a nice way
feel it is better to be on their own, albeit with support they would like to or
not like to acknowledge. On the other hand, the community isolates someone who
is successful but not adhering to the so-called values of a community. This
then leads to the creation of the self-made man or woman.
As Christians observing
lent, we should understand the value and importance of community. Community
should not be to claim superiority but to help each other in times of need and
be happy for the success accomplished or efforts taken. A community should also
own each other and be happy for the success of the other. There are so many among
us who are successful business people, scientists, researchers, teachers,
doctors, nurses, pilots, cabin crew, staff in various government institutions
and private companies, small and big merchants, entrepreneurs, actors, singers,
dancers, cinema makers, producers, owners of manufacturing sector companies,
medical companies and hospitals, guides, environmentalists, counsellors,
priests, adventurers, bloggers and vloggers, writers, speakers, defence related
staff, soldiers, leaders, politicians, bureaucrats, promoters of schools and
colleges, wild life enthusiasts, innovators, builders of various kinds, women
taking care of houses, students, protestors, drivers, union leaders, farmers,
architects and engineers, managers, hoteliers, cooks, accountants, chartered
accountants, bankers, church and religious leaders, and government servants who
are successful and even the best in their field. As a community we should recognise
them because their success is our joy and we may have done something, however
small for them, and in return their growth is a matter of joy for us. We should
be transformed into the good soil that Jesus talks about which then ensures
good crop. Amen.
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