By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Being hardworking is good. But being diligent is far better.*
*The difference between hard work and diligence is that the diligent fellow is able to go beyond the normal line of duty in executing his job.*
*No wonder the Bible says :*
*Prov 22: [29] Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.*
*Please read through this story, and reflect on the lessons we need to learn from it.*
*A man was hired to paint a boat.*
*With his paint, brushes, and a steady hand, he began coating the boat in a vibrant red, as the owner had requested. As he worked, he noticed a small hole in the hull, barely noticeable to the untrained eye. Without saying a word, he repaired it, considering it part of his job.*
*Once he finished painting, the owner paid him, and the man left, content with his day’s work.*
*The next morning however, the owner returned, holding a cheque far more generous than what should have been paid for the painting job.*
*Surprised, the painter asked, “Sir, you’ve already paid me for the paint job. What is this for?”*
*The owner smiled and said, “This isn’t for the painting. It is for fixing the hole in the boat.”*
*The painter, puzzled, replied, “But that was such a small thing—certainly not worth this amount.”*
*”My friend, you don’t understand,” the owner began. “When I asked you to paint the boat, I didn’t even remember about the hole myself. After you finished and the paint dried, my children took the boat out on a fishing trip without telling me. I was away, and when I got home, I was horrified to realize they had gone out in a boat with a hole in the hull.”*
*The painter listened intently as the man continued, his voice now thick with emotion.*
*”I was terrified, thinking they might never return. But when they came back safely, I rushed to check the boat and found that you had repaired the hole there. You didn’t just fix a boat—you saved my children’s lives. That is something I can never fully repay you.”*
*The painter stood silent, absorbing the weight of the man’s words.*
*The owner then added softly, “Sometimes, the smallest gestures can have the greatest impact. What seemed insignificant to you might mean the world to someone else.”*
*In life, we may unknowingly fix many “holes” for others—offering help, mending hearts, or simply being there when needed. We often don’t realize how much those small actions can mean to other people.*
*You never know when your quiet kindness might save a life or touch the needs of the next person in a way you least expect.*
*_To everyone out there reading this story, please keep helping, keep caring, keep working beyond the normal lines of duty, for the world needs more of this type of boat painter around_.*
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