The Best and Worst of Life

Reflections # 11 of 260 Reflections

From the book, Reflective Empowerment,

that was judged by Reader Views as

the Walsh Seminars Award for Best

Personal Growth Book of the Year, 2010.

Reflection 11. The best and worst of life

The story goes that an Emperor commanded his wise men to roam the world, and return to him when one of them learned the secret of life—the best and worst of it. In due season one of them returned with the answer.

When questioned, in answer to what was the best thing in life, the wise courtier stuck out his tongue. The Emperor was puzzled, but he put the next question of what was the worst thing in life? In reply, the wise courtier stuck out his tongue again.

The Emperor was annoyed, and asked for a good explanation, or death would be the wise courtier’s reward. The wise one explained that with your tongue you could be loving, kind, supportive, compassionate, inspirational, teach others spiritual truths, praise your Maker, and speak a healing word, among many other

positive interactions.

The wise courtier quickly added that your tongue could also be used in quite the opposite way. It could be used to curse, lie, defame,

malign, libel, blaspheme, deceive, and produce many other negative energies. The Emperor reflected on something he had read in the Holy Scriptures that, Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21.

What then is the lesson to be learned from this episode dear Champion? You need to be extremely conscious of what you do with your tongue from moment to moment. In fact, the admonition in Psalm 141:3 can be very instructive for your personal growth, as it thunders, Set a watch O Lord before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.