Guarded Genius 6/03/09

There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less competition there.

Indira Gandhi
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Hello. Are you there?
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To me one of the saddest stories in the Bible is Ecclesiastes 9: 14, 15.

"There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it; now there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man."

What the mighty king wanted with this little city is a mystery. Perhaps it was in a strategic location. Whatever, it was important enough to built great walls of defense against it. The king was obviously, and probably incorrectly, expecting the little city to mount a fierce counter attack. And why did he put it under siege, allowing no access or egress until it ran out of food and had to surrender. Why didn't he just overrun it if he was such a "great king"?

Nevertheless, "there was found in the city a poor, wise man." Why did he have to be found? Was he hiding? I doubt it. Was he the only wise man in the city? Being poor, was he living in a hovel down a back alley perhaps, barely able to feed himself and his dog? And how did he save the city? Did he come up with some scheme to frighten the mighty king and his army to make them run away? Did he go out and negotiate with the king? And why would the mighty king give audience to a poor man? Kings don't usually discuss things with paupers.

Well, whatever he did it worked. The kings army packed up and left, and the poor man went back to his hovel with his dog knowing that he and his neighbors could sleep in peace.

No doubt the self important mayor, being a good politician, congratulated himself and his fellow citizens for their courage and commitment in protecting their freedoms, their rights and their way of life.

We will never know what the poor, wise man did to save the city. He never stepped forward to claim the credit. Besides he was just a bum who lived in a hovel and wasn't worth a damn. So they forgot about him.

I have seen it happen in my days. I'm sure you have also. Someone stands up, takes the credit, the award, the appreciation and applause for something he didn't do, oblivious to the existence of the one who actually did it. And often the genius who was really responsible is sitting and applauding with the rest.

As President Harry Truman said "It's amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."

DB - The Vagabond
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A blessing on you, whoever you are.
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