posted April 13, 2013 04:14 AM
Three characters are speaking:
A Merchant, A Servant, and A Beggar
Merchant: The poor man is spared the duty of charity. Only the wealthy man can practice this virtue to the fullest extent. For, to have little is difficult, but, to have a great deal, and to choose to have little -- now that's hard!
Servant: There is sense in what you say, -- or, at least, the appearance of sense; which is a kind of sense, in itself. But, I must respectfully disagree. No person feels so acutely the burden of charity as the man who has little. For, no matter how little a man has, he may always choose to have less. And choosing to have less than a little is a far greater sacrifice than to give up a great deal while still retaining a little for oneself.
Beggar: You speak truly. And, yet, you have not said all.
Servant: Tell me, wherein is my wisdom incomplete?
Beggar: While it is true that the man who retains less has made the greater sacrifice, regardless of the amount he has given up, surely, the man of God is not he who has given up more or less, but, he who has given up all. Whether you cling to a fortune or a pittance, your hand is closed. But, whether he gives away a fortune or a pittance, the man of God ends in that absolute poverty which, alone, means utter dependence on God.
Merchant and Servant: You have said it.
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Vision without action is a dream.
Action without vision is a nightmare.
~ Japanese Proverb