Feeling Secure Now Being Secure Forever - Told In Benin

This story has been told thousands of times with may variations.  Recently, one senior villager in Benin, West Africa, related the following version to some younger ones.
Remember when you read this article, go back and read the previous.



The fisherman returns home in his pirogue and is met by a foreign expert serving in this developing country.  The expert asks the fisherman why he is back so early.  He replies that he could have stayed out longer but that he had caught enough to care for his family. 

"And now, what do you do with all your time anyway?"  The expert asks.

The fisherman responds:  "Well, I do a little fishing. I play with my children. We all have a siesta when it gets hot.  In the evening, we have supper together. Later, I get together with my friends for some music, and so on." 

The expert interrupts: "Look, I have a university degree and have studied these matters.  I want to help you. You should stay out fishing longer. You would earn more and soon be able to purchase a bigger boat than this pirogue. With a bigger boat, you would earn still more and soon be able to build up a fleet of trawlers."  "And then?"  

 The fisherman inquires.   Then instead of selling fish through a middleman, you could negotiate directly with the factory or even start your own fish-processing plant.  You would be able to leave your village and move to Cotonou, or Paris, or New York and run the whole thing from there.  You could even consider putting your business on the stock market and earn millions." 
"How long would that all take?"  the fisherman asks. "Perhaps 15 to 20 years,"  the experts answers.   

"And then?" the fisherman continues.     

"That is when life gets interesting,"  the expert explains.  "Then you could retire. You could move away from the hustle and bustle of it all to some remote village." "And what then?"  (Here it comes, the lack of logic and common sense and the mere greediness of the expert) asks the fisherman.

Then  you do a little fishing, play with your children, (this is really stupid-the kids would be too big to play with. No logic, no common sense here. The man doesn't have to wait 15-20 years!)  have a siesta when it gets hot, have supper with the family, and get together with friends for some music."  

 Note:  This expert may be good in some things, but being logical and having common sense is not one of them. He is only showing his greed. Some people   aren't always wanting just money, money, money, they  are not greedy. They    just want to enjoy their life,family and friends now. Why should they wait that long to do so? Anything could go wrong by that time.  We are not guaranteed another day. We are on this earth temporary and we have to live a really good, wholesome and spiritual life now.  We also need to do what pleases Jehovah God and work for him.  Then and only then  will we be able to live life eternal on Paradise earth.



Next time: Feeling Secure Now Being Secure Forever - Secure Now and Forever

The Watchtower, 2002