THE STINKING SOCKS
Jawaharlal
Nehru was a great statesman, patriotic leader and prolific writer of India. He
was one of the top leaders of the struggle for Indian independence. He was
elected as the first prime minister of independent India and served in that
position from 1947 to his death in 1964.There is a story often ascribed to his
period of service as prime minister.
Once, he was
presiding over an important meeting. There were several dignitaries seated with
him. Nehru felt a foul smell and asked a delegate to investigate the cause of
the dirty odour. It was reported to him that the stinking smell was from the soiled and sweaty socks of one
of the dignitaries seated near him. Nehru asked him to remove the stinking socks
immediately and then return to the meeting. The person went out and the smell
faded away. Later the person returned and once again there was the same foul
smell all around. Nehru asked him angrily, "Haven't you removed the
stinking socks from your legs?" He replied, "Of course, I have
removed them, sir. If you have any doubt, please see this." Then he drew
out from his pocket the pair of foul-smelling socks he had removed and
displayed them before the prime minister. "I brought it as an evidence to
prove that I have removed it", he added with an idiotic gesture.
This popular story may be fictitious, but it
does teach us an important lesson of life. Many of us leave our bad habits with
the mind of that person. We leave them only partially, half-heartedly and
temporarily and still carry it silently along with us. True transformation
needs a complete and whole-hearted elimination of the harmful habits and its conscious
substitution by virtuous practices to prevent a recurrence of the previous
vices.
"Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts"
{James 4: 8}.
The Lord says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained
red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are
deep red, you will be as white as wool" {Isaiah 1: 18}.
................................................................................................................
© By:
Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science &
Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu,
Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally and Leo. S.
John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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