Burning Down the House

Burning Down the House

Once there was a village in Nigeria where the people made their living by farming. The village lay in a large green valley that was lined with palm trees and bushes. Surrounding the village were fields dotted with various crops. Just beyond the fields was a deep river. The river was a friend and a provider for the people: the men used it for fishing, the women washed clothes on its banks, and the children played in its waters. But in the rainy season, the river overflowed, and the people were fearful of its power. So, at a place where the river wound beyond the fields, they built a strong dam to hold back the water.

There was a friendly man in the village named Modupe, which means ‘I am grateful.’ Modupe was a quiet man whose wife had died, so he had moved to the top of a hill overlooking the valley and lived alone. There he had built a small hut and cleared a small piece of land to grow his vegetables. The people did not see Modupe often, but they loved and respected him because he had the gift of healing the sick.

One year at harvest time, there were unusually heavy rains, but the crops had done well and there was much to do. No one paid it any mind. As Modupe stood by his house on the mountain, he noticed that the river had become swollen from the rains and was straining the dam. He knew that by the time he could run to the village to warn the people of the flood, it would be too late and all would be lost. Even as he watched, the wall of the dam began to break, and water started to seep through.

Modupe thought of his friends in the village. Their crops, their homes, and their very lives were in danger if he did not find a way to warn them. Then an idea came to him: he rushed to his small hut and set it afire. When the people of the village saw Modupe’s house burning, they said, “Our friend is in trouble. Let’s sound the alarm and go up to help him.”

The men, women, and children ran up the hill to see what they could do. When they reached the top, they did not have time to ask what happened—a loud crashing noise behind them made them turn around and look down into the valley.

Their houses, their temple, and crops were destroyed by the river, which had broken the dam and was flooding the valley. They began to cry due to their loss, but Modupe comforted them. “Don’t worry,” he said. “My crops are still here. We can share them while we build a new village.” Then all the people began to sing and give thanks because they remembered that in coming to help a friend, they had saved themselves. Source: James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Credibility

Every problem has a solution! Some require innovation and maybe even a little sacrifice… and, once in a while, you may have to light a fire to get people’s attention!

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others? -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Find the light. Reach for it. Live for it. Pull yourself up by it. Gratitude always makes for straighter, taller trees. -Al R. Young