I was really pleased with the last "Life's Lessons", and loved the feedback! Thus I present Volume 2:
Here related is the story of The Braggart:
"A man who practised the pentathlon*, but whom his fellow-citizens continually reproached for his unmanliness, went off one day to foreign parts. After some time he returned, and he went around boasting of having accomplished many extraordinary feats in various countries, but above all of having made such a jump when he was in Rhodes that not even an athlete crowned at the Olympic Games could possibly equal it. And he added that he would produce as witnesses of his exploit people who had actually seen it, if ever they came to his country.
Then one of the bystanders spoke out:
'But if this is true, my friend, you have no need of witnesses. For here is Rhodes right here - make the jump.' "
*Pentathlon: Greek Olympic Event considered the top test of an Athlete. It included 5 events: running, wrestling, long jump, javelin throw, and discus. The purpose was to test the athletes abilities overall as opposed to specified in one area.
And thus we see the greatest weapon against one who brags: demand the proof. Words may be great, but actions are greater still. In fact, we are truly defined by our actions, not by our words. I would apply the lessons of the Fable to all aspects of life-especially in the political realm. We hear so often from foreign leaders, "We will support you in your war with Iraq". What should our response be? Prove it! We hear nations boast of their greatness? Show it! Nobody should be afraid to display in actions what they proclaim in words; for if they are afraid, then indeed their words are hollow and they are cowards.
But even worse still, those who make a pretense to greatness show the moral fault of not being great. I admire nations like Japan who aided the US in Iraq, as opposed to a nation like France who did not support us at all. But reality has a beautiful sense of justice; in the end, the victors are the men of actions, not the men of hollow words. Thus he who brags and boasts now finds himself sunk in the long run. Thank you reality.
What do you think?
-Jason Roberts
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