THE OPEN MIND COLLECTION

Good Steward

     "If you want to know the air you breathe, look into the rays."

"What do you mean mukuru?"

"Haven't you seen, young man that the rays of the sun that break through the shadows carry the dust of the air we breathe?"

"Oh, is that what you mean?"

"Yes..., it's all dirt we breathe. It's all dirt we drink. It's all dirt we see..., and we created the dirt. Slowly and surely we cut down the tree that provides us with fruit. Slowly and surely the sweet taste of the fruit is lost. Slowly and surely that's what has happened to this land we live in. It has lost its...sweetness. Look around you."

"But aren't we trying as well to fix this pollution problem on our land, kule? There are people who do practice good stewardship out there in spite of the many who don't."

"We are trying...and there are people who try out there but there's one problem. We cannot keep our communities clean if we fail to keep our houses clean. Charity always begins on the inside. In what manner are parents raising their children? In what manner are parents behaving in front of children? If they teach them to leave the cleaning to others the children will do the same in society. In fact, they'll be the ones to pollute, all because they expect someone to come and clean up after them. It's more like they'll feel entitled to being served by others in this manner. So the ideal goal is to tackle this issue right from its roots and not just superficially."

"But how, mukuru do we tackle this challenge?"

"It starts with spreading your bed, son. It's as simple as butter-spreading your bread. Then cleaning your bedroom comes next. Cleaning the entire house is the following stage. Clean the plates you use to dine. Put your house in order, literally, then you're good to go outside and steward the nation after stewarding your own home and the people in it. You cannot build another's house when yours lies in ruins.

"Be faithful with the few you are responsible for. Thereafter you'll be able to be responsible for the many. This is good stewardship.

"But many fail to look after this our land because our charity is not sincere. We want to be seen doing good works, but the question is, would you like it if someone else took the credit for your good works?"

"No, I wouldn't."

"See, being a good steward is not about taking the credit. It's about merely doing what you need to do in every environment and to everyone, friend or stranger, in your reach as is your responsibility if you choose to accept it."

"Mmm, mukuru, I think I should learn to do what you're saying because it seems I've neglected the responsibility I have for my own brothers and sisters to be responsible for the stranger, but it seems I won't do a good job looking after the stranger and his environment if I don't look after my own brother and the environment around him."

"Yes definitely, and always remember, it's from baby steps where a great leap is born."