People do not know their worth and try to sell themselves cheaply to the first people they meet, but how reasonable is that? A short parable about the true value of a person. Know your worth!
Once a young man came to the Master and said:
“I came to you because I feel so pitiful and worthless that I don’t want to live. Everyone around me says that I am a loser, a muddler and an idiot. Please, Master, help me!
The master, glancing briefly at the young man, hastily replied:
- Sorry, but I'm very busy right now and can not help you in any way. I urgently need to settle one very important matter, - and, after thinking a little, added: - But if you agree to help me in my business, then I will gladly help you in yours.
“With… with pleasure, Master,” he muttered, noting bitterly that he was once again relegated to the background.
“Okay,” said the Master and removed a small ring with a beautiful stone from his left little finger.
- Take your horse and ride to the market square! I urgently need to sell this ring to repay the debt. Try to charge more for it and never settle for a price lower than a gold coin! Download now and get back as soon as possible! The young man took the ring and rode away. Arriving at the market square, he began to offer the ring to the merchants, who at first looked at his goods with interest.
But as soon as they heard about the gold coin, they immediately lost all interest in the ring. Some laughed openly in his face, others simply turned away, and only one elderly merchant kindly explained to him that a gold coin is too high a price for such a ring and that only a copper coin, or at least a silver one, can be given for it.
Hearing the words of the old man, the young man was very upset, because he remembered the Master's order not to lower the price below the gold coin. Having walked around the entire market and offered the ring to a good hundred people, the young man saddled his horse again and returned back. Deeply discouraged by the failure, he entered the Master.
“Master, I could not carry out your instructions,” he said sadly. “In the best case, I could get a couple of silver coins for the ring, but you didn’t tell me to settle for less than a gold one!” And this ring is not worth so much.
- You just said very important words, son! - answered the Master. - Before trying to sell a ring, it would be nice to establish its true value! Well, who can do it better than a jeweler? Go to the jeweler and ask him how much he will offer us for the ring. Just no matter what he answers you, do not sell the ring, but return to me. The young man jumped on his horse again and went to the jeweler.
The jeweler examined the ring through a magnifying glass for a long time, then weighed it on a small scale and finally turned to the young man:
“Tell the Master that now I cannot give him more than fifty-eight gold coins. But if he gives me time, I'll buy the ring for seventy, given the urgency of the deal.
- Seventy coins ?! - the young man laughed happily, thanked the jeweler and rushed back at full speed.
“Sit down here,” the Master said after listening to the lively story of the young man. And know, son, that you are this very ring. Precious and unique! And only a true expert can evaluate you. So why do you walk around the bazaar, expecting the first person you come across to do it?
