Handicaps

On my way to a book shop in Mongkok last Sunday, I passed by a crowd that caught my attention.  Somehow, it looked different from the gawking-at-scantily-clad-young-girls-promoting-mobile-phones crowds.  So I took another look.  It turned out they were watching this young man without hands busily at work.  He grabbed a piece of brightly-pink clay, flattened it with a piece of acrylic, and turned it into a petal for a pink rose.  All by himself.  It is not extremely difficult, but still a pretty neat trick.  Several people gave him money.  He won’t get rich this way, but he may yet earn a living.  He is severely handicapped, but he is working hard to make himself useful. 

He reminded me of Nick Vujicic, the young man from Australia born without limbs - who turned himself into a hugely successful motivational speaker.  He certainly more than overcame his handicaps. 

Jesus once told a parable of servants who were given different amounts of money.  Those who went on to earn money equal in amount to what they were originally given were praised.  Those who simply kept the money without making good use of the money were reprimanded.  What is important is not what and how much we are given - but what we do with the talents we are given.

The more that one is given, the more will be asked from him.  It is both a warning to the rich, smart, pretty, healthy, and powerful; and a reassurance to those who are poor, dumb, ugly, sick, and weak.