September 12

Either You Keep the Basket
in the Boat or on Your Shoulder

Once a man was sailing in a small boat with a few other people. All of a sudden the boatman said, “The boat seems to be overloaded. The water is coming up higher and higher and we are about to capsize. If we want to stay afloat, we have to lighten the load in the boat.” Immediately the man said, “Oh, don’t worry; I can take care of it.” He had a heavy basket in the bottom of the boat, so he picked it up and put it on his head. “Is it okay now?” It was a heavy basket, so he thought, “I’ll just carry the basket and reduce the weight in the boat.”

Whenever you say, “I did it,” you are carrying your basket while sitting in the boat. The truth is, no matter where the basket is, all of the weight is being carried by the boat. Whether you keep it in the bottom of the boat or on your head is immaterial. As long as you feel that you are carrying it, you are responsible, you are doing something, fine, then carry it. God just smiles: “All right, carry it.”

But if you decide to put the weight on God’s shoulder, God is ready and willing to carry it. The freedom is there. You can either keep the basket in the boat, or on your head. Sensible people will keep it in the boat; egoistic people will keep it on their head, that’s all. Ultimately, the whole weight is being carried by God.