Vision: The Message Before Sunset

Vision: The Message Before Sunset

21st July 2009

Early one morning, a certain young man was sent by his master to deliver an important message, which he explained to his servant, had to reach the recipients before sunset.



The master, after explaining every message he entrusted his servants with, would always add a word of caution.........." Go immediately, and do exactly what I have said. Make sure you do not get distracted along the way."

The young man was puzzled. In the past, all messages he had been sent to deliver, had to reach the recipients immediately. This day, the message he had been entrusted with had to be delivered before sunset. Surely, the master need not send him out so early. The place he was being sent was not that far away, so it wouldn't take him till sunset to get there.

On receiving this present message, the servant interrupted his master's cautioning and said,

" I know..........I know, I have delivered several messages before, surely, I don't need that cautioning now. I remember your cautions well. Besides, the place you are sending me to is not so far away, so it won't take me till sunset to get there. I'll be gone and back, in no time at all!"

The young man wondered why the master was giving him until sunset to deliver a message, when his master knew fully well that this servant always delivered them immediately. He wondered why the master needed to caution all his servants, after explaining each message, they were to carry. Surely all the servants must by now, know and understand his cautioning, and did not need to be reminded of it, every time they carried a message from their master.

Whilst the young man was on his way with the important message, he met a crowd of people who were discussing the recent rumours that had shaken the town. The two opposing groups were in heated discussions about the rumours and counter rumours. Most of the people from the town had gathered there to spectate. On seeing the young man, one in the crowd called to him and said, "Since you are not part of us, surely you can give us an unbiased opinion".

Now in order to give an unbiased and unprejudiced opinion, the young man thought it only right that he hear both groups.

This was not easy, as when one group spoke, members of the other group would get emotional and scream and interrupt, and the arguments and counter accusations multiplied. Hours passed by in listening to the rumours and counter rumours and theories and conspiracies propounded on either side.

The young man had felt honored and important that any should require his unbiased opinion. His master had never sought his counsel or opinions.

So, the young man sat in the town square listening to all that the two groups had to say about their theories and conspiracies, and whatever grievances the two groups had against one another.

The young man had long forgotten the mission he had been sent on. He was trying to sift through the lies both groups had told to the entire town. The lies were unravelling but neither group was willing to admit to lying. Nor were they likely to amit any such thing, in the near future.

Unknown to the young man, these groups had stopped many a servant out on such missions from the master, and engaged for free, their 'unbiased' services for the day.

A little before sunset, an old lady cried out to the young man, " How long will you sit there listening to their lies? Have you no other work to do? Are you also as idle as they are? Have you no other work? "

The old woman was sitting on the steps outside her home, which was a distance away. She had a strong voice and when she spoke, she could be heard a long distance away.

At first, irritated by the interruption, the young man turned to respond, but suddenly went silent.

He quickly arose from where he was seated, and dusted off his clothes, and ran to where the old woman was seated.

He suddenly remembered that the mesage he had been sent with, had to be delivered before sunset.

For a moment he forgot the address he had to deliver the message to.

He fell to his knees outside the old woman's humble home and cried, "My master sent me with a message, and I forgot his cautioning............I got so distracted that now I have forgotten where and to whom, I was sent."

The old lady arose, and beckoned the man to enter through the door.

The young man walked through the door and found himself in front of yet another door, which opened to the other side of the street.

When he opened the door, he found a crowd of people waiting.

They had been patiently waiting for a message from the master, who had assured them that he would send word before sunset.

Ashamed that he had allowed himself to be waylaid by the distractions, the servant returned to his master and fell on his knees.

The young man now understood the importance of his master's repeated cautioning.

Bombay-India
Swarna Jha