A FATAL BITE
Around 50,000 people are reported to die of snake-bite
every year in India. Now a polyvalent anti-snake-venom-serum is available in
most of the Indian hospitals. This antiserum (antivenom) counteracts the
poisonous venoms of the four most common poisonous snakes of India –Indian cobra
(Naja naja), common krait (Bangarus caeruleus), Russel’s viper (Daboia russelii) and saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). Victims of snake-bite
can be saved if brought to hospitals without delay.
A person was walking along a bushy passage
in an Indian village when he accidentally stepped on a poisonous snake and was
bitten by it. He cried aloud. People rushed to the scene and carried the victim
to the main road expecting to get a vehicle to carry the victim to the nearest
hospital. Meanwhile some of the villagers spotted the snake. They threw stones
at it and then beat it with sticks till it became motionless and apparently
dead. They quickly transferred the snake into a briefcase and entrusted it to
the persons who accompanied the victim to the hospital. They hoped that the
treatment would be more specific and effective if the type of snake was known
by an examination of the dead snake. On arriving at the hospital, the patient
was shifted to the casualty room. The briefcase carrying the beaten snake was
placed near the door of the casualty. The doctor informed that he would examine
the specimen after examining the victim and administering the essential
treatments to save the victim’s life. The bystanders were anxiously waiting
outside, actively discussing the tragedy.
A thief was wandering through the hospital
hoping to steal some valuable belongings of the patients. The briefcase placed
near the casualty door caught his attention. When no one was noticing him, he
snatched the briefcase and swiftly moved out of the hospital. Reaching a lonely
spot, he opened the suitcase expecting a fortune. But unfortunately, the
wounded snake gave a sharp bite on the hands of the thief and wounded him. He
cried aloud, but there was no one in the isolated spot to hear his cry. He
fainted, fell down and met his death without receiving any medical care.
Stealing is specifically prohibited in the Scriptures:
“Do not steal” {Exodus 20: 15,
Deuteronomy 5: 19}. “Do not steal or
cheat or lie” {Leviticus 19: 11}.
Solomon teaches us, “Wealth
that you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life”
{Proverbs 10: 2}. “Robbery always
claims the life of the robber” {Proverbs 1: 19}. “It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to
have a large income gained dishonestly {Proverbs 16:8}.
St. Paul asserts, “The
love of money is a source of all evil. Some have been so eager to have it that
they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many
sorrows” {1 Timothy 6: 10}.
The commandment against
stealing prohibits dishonest business practices, cheating, evading of taxes,
refusing to repay debts, plagiarism and keeping unauthorized property.
We take every effort to
preserve our treasure on earth. We waste a major share of our time, health and
energy to amass fame, wealth and glory. Jesus advised us, “Provide for
yourselves purses that don’t wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where
they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them and no moth can
destroy them {Luke 12: 33}. “No one
can be a slave of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be
loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”
{Matthew 6: 24, Luke 16:13}.
Money may fetch us amusement, but
not happiness; a bed, but not sleep; books, but not brains; a car, but not
safety; companions, but not friends; education, but not wisdom; flattery, but
not respect; food, but not appetite; a house but not a home; luxuries, but not
culture; medicines, but not health; ornaments, but not beauty; a violin, but
not music. Money is like sea water; the more we drink, the thirstier we get.
………………………………………………………………..
© By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip,
Darsana Academy, Kottayam-686001, Kerala, India ( Former Professor, Cochin
University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala,
India), Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St.
Dominic's College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St.
Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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