The Boat

The marshal/parable is about community as contrasted with individualism. We need to remember that what we do or fail to do affects those with whom we are in covenant relationship of some kind, in community. We can never simply say, "It's my life and nobody else's business what I do or do not do.

The boat I believe represents the Jewish people. If one Jew sins and rebelled against G-d it affects us all, and all of us will suffer G-d's wrath until it is rectified.

ok,what if we represent the boat as the world..and that one man will destroy it,all the people will be vanished then...so,another person must have to do action before it will be happened,to save us all!

Since there are such people in this world, we must admonish him gently, but if he continues, we must destroy him. Do not humor the suicide bomber.

Where was the boat going? If it were ferrying the people across the River Styx into the land of the dead, then then man was trying to save them all.

no man is an island... that means we are connected people by the very fact we are humans. Therefore if there is evil action it must be stoppede by someone. In the same way good actions must be encouraged. Selfishness must go broad mindedness mudt come in. Each one must look at others as brothers of the same blood. Live,love and serve. The world will be different.

The "Boat" example allows me to reflect upon myself and how we are interconnected with each other. The "Boat" made me ask the question, "Can I truly understand myself without being connected to others?

BR I agree with the first part of your post. I think the worthiness of mentioning positive and negative implications are associcated with the sinful nature of man and can be dangerous to encourage people to look at life this way. People do apprear to have an positive outward appearance because they hang out with poeple that are positively influencial, but not the best interest for all. But how does one react to an individual whom might be hungry or in need of a place to sleep when someone says think positive and your circumstances will eventually change (similar to the image in the boat). However, by fully addressing and understanding the issue of character that God wants us to take upon ourselves (making my burdens light) to portray leaves the inner most part of a being permanently changed forever. The question that brought this to a deeper thought is what if you cannot stop the person from drilling the hole? Do we as individuals let our circumstances determine our attitudes

The story is only beautiful when explained...! The whole point is that your actions affect others and although you think you are a private individual who has no power on those around you, you are wrong. Just like this man was going to drown everyone around him you too will drown those around you with negative and harmful actions and behavior. This goes for the opposite as well. Your postiivity and positive actions will help thoe and influence those around you to strive to be better.

Everyone should this - think about it seriously - and act accordingly