Life’s Interdependence

(the connectedness of life)

James Bender, in his book How To Talk Well (New York: Mcgraw-Hill Book Co. Inc.1994), relates the story of a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

He is much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

By the same token, life is similarly linked to each other. As they say, no man is an island. We cannot live alone by ourselves, unless we chose to live like a hermit or a recluse. If you desire peace then you must ensure peace is abound all round you. Likewise with prosperity, you’ve got to share it around or help others to achieve likewise. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of life is measured by the lives it touches. You’ll reap what you sow.

Biblically,

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

For as you sow you reap

The more you sow

The more you’ll reap.

In giving you are living

In receiving you’re merely existing.

Let your heart dictate

Your mind not to forsake

Through love, hope and faith

To give a portion of what God gave.

IT’S NOT YOUR WALLET GOD NEEDS

IT’S YOUR HEART THAT GOD SEEKS.

Paul Chong