The Right Thing to Do

A young man named Phani approached the king, praying for a job. The king, seeing his good-natured demeanor, decided to appoint him to one of his offices.

However, it soon became apparent that Phani frequently arrived at the office very late and left very early, almost on a daily basis. Concerned, the minister called him in for an explanation.

“Sir, I spend several hours in the temple singing the Lord’s glory,” Phani explained. “After all, He has created me!” The minister replied, “Why don’t you sing the King’s glory too? Is it not he who has given you work?” Realizing the truth in the minister’s words, Phani began to sing the king’s praises as well.

On the third day of his new routine, the king grew annoyed and dismissed him from his position. Phani rushed back to the minister, crying out, “Sir, I followed your advice and was punished!” The minister replied, “Young man, the king expected work from you, not for you to sing his praises. God created you to live truthfully and do your duty with honesty and sincerity, not to idle away your time in the temple.”

Taking the minister’s advice to heart, Phani regained his job and dedicated himself to his work, demonstrating sincerity and responsibility in all that he did.