The Foolish Colors Fought Each Other

(Unity is Strength)
An illustration received through mail, it talks about the unity of brethren


"Unity is strength" The age old story about UNITY. There are different stories round the corner on this subject. But here is a unique one i just received the other day in my mail box. Let me take this opportunity to share this with you to my fellow knol readers and authors. Thanks for your precious time.



A colorful New Year & An Year of Unity
picture credit. ba1969/sxu.hu

"Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed that they were the best. The most important. The most useful. The favorite.



Green said: "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves.



Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."



Blue interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."



Yellow chuckled: "You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."



Orange started next to blow her trumpet: "I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, orange, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."



Red could stand it no longer he shouted out: "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."



Violet rose up to his full height: He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."



Indigo spoke, more quietly than others, but with determination: "Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."



And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.



In the midst of the clamor, God began to speak: "You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."



Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.



God continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow." And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.



Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psalm 133).

Source:

Holy Bible (KJV)

http://knol.google.com/k/p-v-ariel/philip-verghese-ariel-p-v-ariel-the/12c8mwhnhltu7/158

Picture credit: http://sxu.hu

Develop and encourage the youngsters

Picture Credit. GLS India, Mumbai

Apropos the editorial “Developers or Mere Users? Brought out a serious point which is prevailing in our Assembles. No doubt there are many exceptions to this especially the assemblies in other states. The editorial made me to think of our assemblies present situation thus this note.

Recently I had a conversation with a prominent Bible School teacher (not from Brethren Bible School) from Kerala. He narrated an incident from his childhood days that really shocked me. His parents and grand parents were from the brethren background and even some of the family members were evangelists too.

He said, “From my young age I had the desire to do something for the Lord, and was very active in Sunday School etc. One day in the worship service he was about to get up to give some exhortation an elderly person (an elder of the assembly) raised his and said, “Eda Cherukka Avide irikke” (Hey, boy sit there!!), they did not allow him to participate in any of the assembly activities and that incident paved way for him to leave the assembly for ever. Since he was having the desire to do something for the Lord’s kingdom, Lord lead him to other pasture. Sometime later that young man got an offer to study in a Bible School (not of Brethren Assemblies). He with full happiness joined at once and completed his three year biblical studies and he developed his preaching skill. Now he is a good preacher and a teacher in that same Bible College were he studied. The Lord is using him mightily for His service.

Your editorial points a finger towards such incidents in our assemblies. One cannot understand the behavior of some of the elderly elders in our assemblies. I don’t know why they are not showing or following at least an iota of our Lord’s mind. Many a times we lack to see this in the life of the believers in the assembly. Recently a young man while giving a short message to a small gathering he pointed out this vital truth to the congregation, He said, “Our Lord Jesus was so humble and simple why can’t we adopt a little of his nature in our daily life, it’s really so sad to note that we really lack in this area very miserably”. He urged the audience, “Let us have the mind of our Lord whom we preach and serve. We need to adopt His humility in our life, and then others will see Christ in us.” This young man brought out the vital need of the present assemblies or the believers. Each and every believer’s bounden duty is to show His Savior’s humility in all of our actions.

As Paul said we are his News the people around us are reading each of us through our actions. Let the people around us see Christ and his nature in us. Let us have the mind of Christ and give opportunities to our growing young generation. Let us give a helping hand to the weak. Let us develop and mold them to the service of Lord. In many of our assemblies especially in Kerala, opportunities are denied and thus many youngsters are hiding or ruining their God given abilities or talents. Most of the assemblies outside of Kerala is an exception to this. Though there are elderly elders they try to encourage and develop the youngsters in every possible way to do their part in the assembly for the glory of God. If our assembly elders and the responsible ones do not adopt such method no doubt we will loose many of our talented youngsters from our assemblies.

Your editorial is an eye opener to many of our assemblies especially many in our Kerala region. Thank you for bringing out such a thought provoking and serious issue through your editorial for the benefit of the readers of this magazine.

The time is up our elderly ones to think seriously on this matter. Develop and encourage your younger generation to the forefront for the glory of our Lord. This is the time for you to take rest and give back your places to the coming generation. When I said ‘rest’ it does not mean that a complete break from the service of the Lord instead be at the behind of the younger ones and guide them properly by pointing out their shortcomings with loving words not of a harsh attitude but of the mind of our Lord. Paul while writing to the Philippians, said, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.2:4-5).

If we do not have this mind of Christ, our assemblies will definitely face a kind of dryness. No doubt our elderly ones did their job tremendously for the sake of Christ and the extension of His kingdom in a very commendable way. Now it is our younger generations turn, let them (youngsters) do their part, and let us allow them to do it. Such Christ like attitude will definitely pave way to the younger generation to do great things for their Lord. I praise God for the good number of our assemblies those who are following Christ’s method in assembly procedures. May the Lord help us.

PS:  
Also read this note on "When We Worship" in Malayalam.

Source:

P V Ariel's Knol Pages @ Word Press.com

Picture credit: GLS India, Mumbai.

A Small 'Middle' to Knol Pages (A Little Joke of a Little One)

(A conversation between my sons)

Very serious, educative and researched subjects are posted and discussed here at knol pages. Like the News Papers of yesteryears here is a small "middle" for my readers. (Unfortunately most of the Indian newspapers are totally forgotten about that interesting middles they placed among the serious subjects (news).

I hope and believe that this joke or middle? will give you a kind of relaxation.

I am sure you will enjoy and this will make your day.

Cheers!!

A JOKE FOR THE DAY

The Telangana agitation for a separate state was going on in the state of Andhra Pradesh for quite sometime.

I was reading the headline of the morning newspaper a bit loudly My Youngest son - Mathews

* “KCR’s forefathers are from Andhra”

Overheard this, my 7 year old son quipped. “What Dad! KCR got four fathers”.!!!

Hearing this, my elder son said,

‘Dad we’ll send this to Readers Digest’s joke column, 'Life's like that'.

Again he quipped; “Oh I am sure they will digest it.”

Source:

http://knol.google.com/k/p-v-ariel/a-small-middle-to-knol-pages/12c8mwhnhltu7/148

www.pvariel.blogspot.com

News You Can Abuse, Please Do not Sell

(Mr. Vinod Mehta, Chief Editor of Outlook)



A Feedback to a Cover Story of Outlook Weekly News Magazine
A response to a cover story published in the popular Indian weekly News Magazine about the present trend of some of the media in India. Vinod Mehta the Chief Editor and his team brought out a vital and serious issue prevailing in the Indian Press/Visual Media.

Ariel, P V. News You Can Abuse, Please Do not Sell:A Feedback to a Cover Story of Outlook Weekly News Magazine [Internet]. Version 3. Knol. 2009 Dec 17. Available from: http://knol.google.com/k/p-v-ariel/news-you-can-abuse-please-do-not-sell/12c8mwhnhltu7/147
An Illustration in the Cover Story
Credit. outlookindia

This week's OUTLOOK weekly magazine published a very serious phenomenon prevailing in the press. Vinod Mehta and his team brought out a naked truth to the general readers under the titles “paid-for news, News You Can Abuse” and “Please Do not Sell”. Read more at this link. http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?263242

Here is my response to the cover story.

"Here in India, when elections are round the corner, politicians are more worried and in turn media mint money. This is not a new thing in our country, this was going on quite sometime and now it is increased tenfold or more. Your cover story said it all in an organized way. Now we the readers or the voters must decide of our own what to do at the polling booth. Indeed very strange things are happening day in and day out in our political arena. Thanks Mehta for this wonderful cover story of paid for news. Here everyone (politicians) is paying for their space in the respective newspapers or visual media, where your cry of "Please Do not Sell” will only remain as a wild cry. So sad."

Read my post @ http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?263242

Yet another response on the cover story.

Ones it was sex sells, now it seems politics sells well. What a sad state of our fourth estate. Mr. Mehta your cry I think will not be heard by your counterparts. It will remain as a wild cry. So sad the present condition of our media especially the print media.

philip verghese ariel

Secunderabad, India

http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?263241#comments



Source: www.outlookindia.com

picture credit Outlook Weekly, New Delhi

She Rules

A Feedback to the Cover Story Published in The Sunday Indian News Weekly (7th December 2009) under the title “She Rules”

This is in reference to your cover story ‘She rules’, this issue speaks volume about our wonderful women, especially of our valiant warriors of the women community. Each of the warriors showed their mettle in their respective areas. It’s really amazing to know more about these unknown figures.

Kudos to TSI for bringing them to the limelight. I appreciate the attitude of Captain Vandana Srivastava’s silent movement in her work area, she work more and talk less about her work. This is a good attitude one should adopt in their life for a successful life. As she said, “For being an Army combatant, one needs to be married to the profession…” This type of attitude should prevail not only in Army, but also in any profession. Lack of such attitude in most of the profession shows slackness in bringing the desired result. These women’s efforts will definitely bring a kind of boost to the upcoming generation. Let their tribes increase. Thanks TSI.


Source:
www.thesundayindian.com
knol.google.com