​If problems help people to grow, does that mean we shouldn’t help others when they have problems?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So, I gave the example of the person helping the bird come out of its shell, and that help actually was a harm. Does that mean when people are having problems, we should not help them? Should think these problems are there for their growth? See, every example that we give, it is like a rubber band. You know a rubber band? If I have an object which does not have an easy handle to carry, I put a rubber band around, rubber band gives a hold to it.
But now if I stretch the rubber band too much, it breaks. So like that, any example we take, if we stretch it too much, it will break. So, the point of this example is not whether the man should have helped the bird or not.
The point of this is that the bird needed to go through that to develop its wings. So similarly, you know, when others are facing difficulties, when we are facing difficulties, and there doesn’t seem to be any solution to difficulties, you see that this difficulty is for my growth. But when others are facing a difficulty, we have to adopt that attitude which is in harmony with our duty.
That means, if we take a simple example for this, philosophy has to be applied in a way that enhances our consciousness. So for example, if I have a sickness, although I have always followed a very healthy regimen of diet and exercise, still I get some sickness. Then I say that, okay, this must be because of some past karma.
But, you know, if somebody is sick, oh, they are sick, that means they must have done some very bad karma in the past. So let them suffer. No, that’s completely insensitive attitude.
So actually, our spirituality is meant to enhance our humanity, not inhibit our humanity. So if somebody is suffering, then naturally, there is sensitivity, there is compassion, there is the desire to help. So we should help others if we have the capacity to help.
And we also use our intelligence in how best we can help. Now, if somebody, you know, if there’s one, there’s a drunkard who comes out of a bar with five bottles of alcohol to take home, and then he sees another beggar outside, beggar also wants a bottle, he gives a bottle in charity. This is my charity to you.
Well, that is not really beneficial charity. That is harmful. That can very well be harmful charity.
So we certainly, when we want to help others, we have to use our intelligence to see how we can best help. That’s why, as far as possible, as devotees, we give help, which is not just material, but is holistic, material, psychological, and spiritual. And that’s what the bhakti tradition offers.
Certainly, we should help people according to our capacity. When others are in trouble, our focus should not be what is the cause of their trouble. Our focus should be what is my duty in this situation.
So if my duty is to help, then I should definitely help. Does that answer your question?