Principles – Shadow and Reality – 17/10/2015

   Progress and enhancement are realities of life. As they say, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Life is changeable; it is most odd that there are many people who have never cared to achieve progress in their lives due to their belief that every time they would try to achieve their goal, they will fail. They are oblivious to the fact that any great person was once a young man in need for support, every huge city was nothing but sketches on paper and every great achievement was once a dream in the imagination of someone who toils to make it a reality. Don’t consider your current state; there is always something you can achieve. It is not important who you are at the moment, but rather what you plan to achieve tomorrow. One of the most important principles you should realize that life is changeable. Today’s seed can be tomorrow’s fruit. You should have faith in your mission and in God who will support you to do it if you work hard without surrendering to the obstacles and difficulties of life, but rather consider them the rocks that you will collect and use to reach your goal. Great people believed in that concept.

   I wonder about those who judge a person just once they met him or after an encounter that doesn’t last more than couple of minutes. There was a story about a king who wanted to teach his four children not to judge immediately. He sent each one of them on his own to see a tree and asked them to come back to describe it. After they all came back and saw the tree, the father asked each one to describe it. The first said that it’s full of green buds that would hopefully bear fruits. The second said that it was a beautiful tree that was full of leaves and roses. The third said it was bearing fruits. The last said it was barren and leafless. The king paused then said that each one of them was describing the same tree, but in a different season as each one of them saw it in a different season: winter, spring, summer and the last saw it in autumn. Each one of them saw it in one condition thus their judgment was not completely accurate.

   Therefore, don’t haste to judge people without knowing them well as they say that shadow doesn’t reflect reality and don’t judge on first impression as sugar and salt have the same color that you won’t differentiate between except after tasting. Our relationships reflect that truth; many times did we trust many yet they disappointed us. Other times we misjudged others; however they were good people and showed us great love. Quick judgment brings nothing but regret as you will be wronging someone due to your misjudgment or you will be wronging yourself if you trust someone unworthy. Remember, life will always repay you what you did and you will reap what you grow.

Anba Ermiah

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center