The More Genuine We Become

People will criticize you irrespective of whatever you do; so you might as well do the right thing. There is the story of the man who had a mule. He was riding on the mule and his son was walking. So the people criticized, “Why this man is on the mule and making his son walk?” So then the man put the son on the mule and he walked. People said, “Why is the son on the mule and making his father walk?” So then they both got on the mule, and people started saying, “Why are these people so cruel that two people are putting such a burden on it?” So then they came to town and they were both walking along with the mule, and the people said, “Why are they so stupid, they have a mule and they’re both walking?”

So one great statesman said, “You can please some of the people some of the time but you can never please all the people all the time.” But if we please God our life is perfect. So we should be enthusiastic to do the right thing with the right intention. Then, let people say whatever they want to say, but we know that God in our heart is pleased. At the same time, the more genuine we become, the more that genuineness will also be recognized and that will influence others. – Radhanath Swami