There is something, not a sin, which often can’t be forgiven

A woman member of a traditional Yoga group also served on the fund-raising committee of a charity. Her written articles and her appeals at public meetings were attractive, and brought in many more donations than those of her colleagues. She began to notice a certain coolness towards her suggestions at committee meetings; they were nearly always turned down on some pretext.

She mentioned this to the teacher, saying, “I wonder whether I am seen as bossy or something like that. I try not to present my suggestions in a pushy way, but still I feel I must be doing something wrong.”

The teacher said: “People will forgive some bossiness in a good worker, though you don’t sound bossy. In fact, people will forgive almost anything in a good worker: arrogance, a bit of roguery, a bit of waspishness – all that sort of thing. But you’ve done one thing that’s hard to forgive: you’ve succeeded.”

There are seven deadly sins in Christianity, and they can all be forgiven. But there is something, not a sin, which often can’t be forgiven:

Success.

It often arouses in others the meanest of the Seven sins:

Envy.

Envy will not forgive you but you have to forgive envy.

© 1999 Trevor Leggett