TRUE FRIEND August 18, 2020

It seems that everywhere I turn to these days, whether at home or in the office, or even in church and with colleagues and former classmates, everybody is selling something.  And because I am a great believer and supporter in the power of domestic consumption, I cannot help but buy and patronize those that I like and need.  After all, almost everybody is selling some food I love (which is virtually everything edible, tasty and clean), or something I usually need, or ‘especially need’ because of the new normal during this pandemic.

 

I really wonder at the ingenuity and talent of these friends of mine, and friends of friends too, because unlike a generation ago when if ever one has an inkling of entrepreneurial spirit and struggles to start a business, with even the first five years given by international accounting standards as reasonable period wherein a startup may incur losses, the new business people I meet during this season seem to know exactly what to sell, whom to sell to, how much to price, and how to reach their market.  And I cannot help but feel that they are actually earning a profit too, no matter how small the margin.

 

I guess the longer this crisis drags on, one thing gets proven stronger—that we Filipinos are a very creative, imaginative and ingenious lot.  We always survive, even with job losses, and thrive amidst the economic difficulties we face.  Though it is sad and never a source of joy how a certain high-ranking official was ‘glad’ only 45% became jobless.  45% is a HUGE number, if our 110 million+ population, with let us just say for illustration purposes 50% employed, and 45% of that 50% is still almost 25 million people out of work, with no steady source of income, and at least 25 million people more who were supported by these employees who will go hungry.  So the 45% jobless actually translates to 50% or more of our total population experiencing hunger, economic insecurity, despair and misery.

 

That is why it is such a thankful thing that our people are industrious by heart.  We know how to get by with so little, we can always improvise, we are by nature a generally hygienic and sanitation-loving people, and we can look for ways to maximize however little the circumstances and resources are available to us. 

 

And it is a fitting real-life illustration of the Word today, in the book of Psalms chapter 41. 

 

Here King David expressed blessing on the person who considers the poor and needy, and this includes the literal unemployed, homeless, those in their senior years with no means to support them, children who are unable to go to school because of a lack of resources and means, single parents struggling to juggle family chores with working from home or working on reduced days and hours and reduced pay, and even the small and micro business owners struggling to open word-of-mouth or online businesses and earn income.  Good thing the tax bureau was shamed into pursuing imposing taxes on the latter people, otherwise, let me declare this too, with their envy, greed and oppression, and their favoring large tax evaders over and exploiting or squeezing dry the small-time yet vulnerable, helpless and gullible micro-entrepreneurs and ordinary employees, they will never get to partake of the blessings invoked by the great king in verses 1 to 3.

 

On a more personal level, it is sad that there are also people like what the tax bureau has poised out to be.  I witness friends who were short-changed in their selling, like by unscrupulous customers who order something and when the hard-working seller comes up with the product, either do not push through, or bargain hard to pay less than what was initially agreed upon, or worse, badmouthing the product and the seller themselves.  They are like the people mentioned by the Psalmist in verses 3 to 9.  Yes, he admits that he made a mistake, he may have some shortcomings or errors, and yet, these people worsen the situation by destroying his morale and reputation, spreading lies about him and planning evil against him.  I am reminded of a cliché (though I’m not sure if this is the right word) of somebody who keeps eating something made and/or given by somebody else, and when he has finished the whole lot, has the gall to say that it is not delicious.  I mean, yes, it is a marketing strategy, but taste tests are only that, they will never be the full serving, and they are only free on the first bite, but one has the responsible obligation to pay if one wants to eat more.  And so even with friends, if we are given a taste test, let it not be heard from us how a certain slice or serving is small or not delicious, and spread it abroad.  The worst part is when we say that something is too expensive.  I mean, let’s wake up folks, everybody is by default, selling on SRP because it is the nature of the law of supply and demand, and if you like it and you can afford it, just buy it.  Otherwise, just shut up and don’t let us hear you complain about the price, because what we are actually hearing is, you are just jealous and sour-graping because you cannot afford to pay, and you lack the credibility to be given credit or granted extended installment payments.

 

But we need not struggle so hard and so despairingly in our efforts to live a better life, because in verses 10 to 13, the Psalmist declared what each of us—particularly the oppressed, the abused, the betrayed, the shortchanged—needs to hear: we have a merciful GOD who raises us up, and puts us above those who trample on us.  Because He favors us and blesses our earnest and faithful efforts in everything that we set our hearts to do, He makes us triumph over our enemies.  He upholds our integrity so that no matter how disgraceful the backbiting or slanderous the accusations hurled on us by those who are envious of our efforts and our courage to face life’s many challenges, He will set us before His face forever, meaning He will always look on us, keep watch over us, and guide us in our affairs.  Because we have an everlasting GOD who never fails, He will always cause people to come our way, either to patronize our products, pay on time completely and faithfully, support our work, and give us encouragement to go on.  If we just continue to hold on in faith, work diligently and judiciously, He will surely send others our way who are much like Him, who will become our loyal supporters and customers, and our true friends.