The Inconstant
Worker
One man, who had heard of the high spiritual world,
began to nourish the desire to evolve in order to live
there after he had left earthly life.
One day he received a visit from a good spirit who told
him that his sincere desire to evolve would let him to
be helped and directed to improve his virtues.
The man showed skills in dealing with sculptures. So,
the spiritual benefactors led him to get a job with a
very talented old master who made beautiful and
expensive marble works.
In a short time, however, the apprentice-worker
resigned, claiming that the master was very gruff and
intractable.
He then moved to a workshop of wooden objects, to work
with an experienced and famous sculptor.
But the job did not last long...
The newly hired found the chief very demanding and
meticulous, because he inspected every detail.
Then, always with the help of the good spirits, he was
sent to work with a worker who specialized in cement
columns, erected on the facade of large and imposing
buildings.
But again, he did not continue for a long time employee
claiming to be too tiresome to handle the heavy cement
and he was not tailored to that burden.
Shortly thereafter, he found service opportunity at a
decor store. He supported other worker, more experienced
employee in the making of bladder bows, flowers, and
other materials used in the ornamentation of parties,
gardens, and exquisite environments.
After a few days, however, he also abandoned this work,
stating that the companion did not share with him what
he knew about the craft and that, while remaining there,
he would be wasting time when his intention was to
evolve rapidly.
And so, from task to task, from workshop to workshop,
the candidate for evolution said he did not find a
suitable situation for his spiritual development.
Years passed, letting him old. The day has come to leave
his physical body and return to the spiritual plane.
The good spirits, who watched him during the
incarnation, came to meet him. With some sadness in
their eyes, one of them asked him:
- My friend, why did you not prepare yourself by
acquiring the virtues that were programmed for you while
on Earth?
The apprentice replied that he had encountered only
requirements, rudeness, and bitterness in his earthly
experiences, and it was not possible to be very involved
with each.
The good spirit then explained that God had given him
such opportunities so that he could not only learn the
work of a sculptor but also develop important virtues to
be used when the Lord needed them in great tasks of aid
to humanity where humility, charity, forgiveness,
discipline, resignation, and patience would be
necessary.
The inconstant worker, then, understood how much he
could have been benefited if he had made good use of his
experiences.
Instead of whining, however, he renewed his proposals
for evolution. He learned that he needed, beyond good
will, a lot of determination.
Now he had to wait for new opportunities, but he would
be far more willing to make the inner reform effort when
they came.
Adapted from the text The Inconstant Servant(Jesus
at Home, by Chico Xavier & Neio Lucio spirit,
Publisher FEB).
Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com
