Faith and Action

 


An old boat man used to transport people across a river for his livelihood.  Once a passenger noticed that in one of his oar it is written as Faith and in the other Action.  He asked the boatman the reason for writing such words in his oars. 

The boat man said I will demonstrate the purpose now.  He took only the oar Faith and started moving the boat, the boat did not move in the proper direction.  He took only the oar Action and started moving the boat, here again the boat did not move in the proper direction.  Then he told him only when both the oars are used simultaneously in proper rhythm then the boat will move in the right direction.

The story of the boatman and the oars serves as a metaphorical lesson about the balance between faith and action in our lives.

1.     Faith: The oar labeled "Faith" represents our beliefs, hopes, and trust in our creator, the almighty. It signifies our confidence in a positive outcome, even when the path ahead might be uncertain. Faith can give us the courage to take risks, try new things, and move forward with a sense of purpose.

2.     Action: The oar labeled "Action" represents our efforts, determination, and practical steps we take to achieve our goals. It signifies the importance of taking initiative and making conscious efforts towards our aspirations. Action transforms our dreams and intentions into reality.

The boatman's demonstration underscores the idea that relying solely on faith without action or solely on action without faith might not lead us in the right direction. Both faith and action need to work together harmoniously, just like the boatman's oars, to propel us towards our desired destination.

By combining faith and action in the right rhythm, we can navigate in the river of life towards our goals, making meaningful progress while maintaining a hopeful and positive outlook. Ultimately, the boatman's lesson encourages us to find a balance between believing in our abilities and dreams (faith) and actively working towards achieving them (action).

 

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