A parable:
An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fish. The banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The fisherman replied that it had only taken a little while.
The banker than asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish.
The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.
The banker then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life."
The banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. you should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
"Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening up your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. you would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the banker replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?"
The banker laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an Initial Public Offering (IPO), sell your company stock and become very rich. You would make millions."
"Millions, then what?"
The banker said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play guitar with your amigos."
This parable made me consider how I spend my time, right now...
Am I living my best life right now? Or am I busy doing all sorts of things so that I can eventually live my best life later?
What about you...
What are you working for?
What changes could you make to begin living life for today?
* This parable is quoted as it was told in an article written by Paul Richardson in cmAlliance.ca, Spring 2011 edition.
Words of a very wise woman :)
ReplyDeleteheard this comment once that has always stuck with me.... "The best thing I can do for the poor, is not to be one of them". I sometimes think I'll stop working but then the church would lose a tithe and three compassion International children would lose a sponser, and one child from my church would not go to youth camp, and I wouldnt have had that $20 I gave to a woman who needed gas money last week to look for a job.
ReplyDeleteI feel like it is my responsibility as a Christian to make as much money as I possibly can.
I can see both sides of it. I love to work & see where I can go with it and I would feel lazy otherwise AND if I lived in a warm country I'd most likely do the same but because we live in a colder climate I need heat and heat costs money & I cant peddle around on a bike in the winter so therefore this stragety doesnt work unless you go on wealthfare. Big businesses are there so you can travel, exchange, sell. The concept of the story is there.. But we must also remember that bigger is not better & stuff is just stuff. Just work and use your talents for the Lord but dont get greedy because workaholics dont realize that work is not number one...relax a bit and spend time with family because when all is said and done thats all you have.
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