This is about a lady of great influence and
power. She lived in wealth and had many servants in her mansion with
well-manicured lawns and marble floors.One remarkable part of her life is that
whenever a servant did anything wrong in Madam Abara’s view they will get a devastating
slap from her. Her slaps are not to the face, but to the upper back of the
servant concerned.
If a servant slouched, did not carry a plate
well, did not speak up, stammers, asked for clarity regarding some instruction,
spoke too loudly, spoke too softly, had an expression Madam Abara viewed as
disrespectful, a hard slap to the back will be the sure reward. Most of the
time this reward comes like lightening and can have the effect of hurling down
the servant concerned! They get thrown to the ground from the devastating
effect of Madam Abara’s well-practiced, hot and powerful hits.
Now, our activities which include our
thoughts, words and deeds form our destiny. These deeds are seeds that we plant
every moment, and they are nurtured through the workings of the Laws of
Creation such that at a definite time we will have to reap what we have sown
earlier on as seeds. We can only expect results that are like our earlier
activities. The Law that brings these about is the unchangeable Law of Sowing
and Reaping, the Law of Reciprocal Action. This Law speaks of the Justice and
Love of the Creator and makes man the architect of his own fate or destiny.
One day, Madam Abara heard words to this
effect and promptly made a firm volition to change. She also decided to do only
what is good from that day on. That inner change had the effect of putting a
stop to the unwholesome habit of acquiring further debts by Madam Abara. She did not stop at that. With the same relentlessness
of her former ways, she now engaged in doing only what is good in thought word
and deed and showed nothing but kindness and understanding to her servants. She
even offered to help them whenever she perceived that help was needed by them,
to the surprise of the servants. The servants were now living with a brand-new Gentlewoman!
Meanwhile, the Law of Sowing and Reaping
continued working on Madam Abara. The result or harvest of her past activities
must come back to her and influence her environment, her circumstances and on
her physical body! What was due for Madam Abara was that she will go into slavery! The time for
this to happen came indeed. On one fateful day, she instructed one of her
servants to sweep the purple marble floor of her living room. The young woman
was doing the work in a sluggish manner. In former times Madam Abara would have
landed a crushing slap on her back. On this day however, Madam Abara seeing the
servant’s struggle, asked her to give her the broom so that she can show the
servant how to sweep properly. In a few movements, she showed her this in all
kindness and handed back the broom to the servant to continue. In view of Madam
Abara’s inner change, the full repercussions of her former deeds could no
longer have a full effect but the symbolic service she performed for her
servant was enough to wipe away the need for the heavy penance she would have
suffered if she had remained immersed in her former tyrannical attitude.
For Madam Abara the sustained resolve to be
good formed a formidable covering and protection that prevented the onrushing
reciprocal action from having a full effect or any effect at all.
The same Laws of Creation
that judge us also redeem and forgive us! Forgiveness comes about by true
repentance, authentic inner change for the better, heartfelt prayer for help, and
persistence in doing only what is good in thought, word and deed. May we be strengthened in our resolve to
change our ways. May we be open and receptive to the power which enables us to continuously
live aright! Amen.
