Certain systems are funny. And not in a ha-ha kind of way.
A man starts a business and then employs other people to work in the business. As he is the one that started it, he is the one that earns the most from it. Over time more people are employed on the strength of his name, yet for however much they earn, he will still get a lot more than they do. Indeed such will be the case that he will be earning more while he sleeps than they will in the hours they slave away for him. And when people refer to his business the person that will get the credit for all the business is the person who started it who need not lift a finger again as other people are doing the work.
Some people are cool with that system. That works for them and they long to be that one at the top even though those who reach that position will always be in the very slim minority. Yet that’s the way of the world that they’re resigned to and see no reason to upset the apple-cart (even if they barely get any of the apples).
There’s this other system that’s weird when you consider the prevailing system mentioned above.
A man starts a service by serving and showing the example of service to the point of death. Then as a legacy of the service those who were inspired to follow the one who started the service likewise get into the lifestyle of service. Indeed they honour the one who started the whole thing by living the same way he did. Living to serve and help people to see how their lives can improve. They do so because of the impact a sacrificial servant had on them. In a similar way to the business model, the person who started it all gets a lot of honour and credit.
This is not having a dig at business and hailing the benefits of starting a service. Indeed I acknowledge that the best businesses are based on the service they offer and a good service offered makes for a great business.
The point is about the extent to which the two models portray the kind of rule that we can aspire to. One that is based on working to reach an age of self-indulgence. The other based on serving to deliver others who serve.
It’s still something worth considering today.
(Photo by Jonas Weckschmied on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 