Do not be like the wilting flower

Learning Point No 384

It is often the case that when a flower is in the bud stage, there is growth and there is no issue but once it blooms, insects will come and that is when it will wilt as the nectar, not the flower is what insects go for. This did Lord Bo Tien say. 

Blame not the flower for the insects coming to it. This the lord saint reiterated. 

Religions grew in communities where poverty and suffering festered. The core pioneers were usually from the rather poor. Poverty is fertile ground for sprouting of the buds of religiosity. 

In the history of mankind, abundance was the cause of downfall of societies and dynasties. Poverty and wants favored birth of dynasties, religions and great men. Once societies grew and with abundance and complacency setting in, there would be decadence with fall of religions and dynasties. 

Great institutions, churches and temples grew from humble beginnings but once they reached the apex, with abundance and endowed with wealth and affluence, the story would invariably change and a different story would unfurl. 

Once the flower of success bloomed in a temple or church, it would attract insects coming for nectar. Thus it would be not surprising if churches and temples get corrupted and defiled by men of greed. They would come for the worldly agenda under guise of religious agenda. 

Blame not the flower for insects coming to it. Likewise, for goodness sake, blame not God and saints for the designs of such men in a temple or church. 

Even in a mission related temple of Lord Bo Tien, the humble beginnings brought out the best of men, even created men of finite substance into substantial men. Then the temple bloomed. 

But alas, when a temple or church grew, the men became affluent and the temple or church attracted men of status, wealth and society, the temple like a flower seemed to wilt and mediocrity would set in. 

It would then lose its shine and become lackluster. But so long as it did not decline further and run foul of the law of the land, there would be hope. But it would like the wilting flower never be in its full glory again or perhaps it might. One could never be sure.  

It is however perhaps even be better that it could wilt and bear fruit and its seeds give rise to new temples to serve more men and save more souls. The fall of a temple or church can be a blessing in disguise. It could lead to more churches and temples. 

Likewise, the fall of religiosity due to the changing trends of men who are that much more worldly and demanding can be a double edge sword. It could admittedly lead sadly to a fall of religion but this paradoxically would be a fertile ground for birth of new sects and religions.