“I’m a beekeeper. I need to take care of the hive. Sometimes I use fire to smoke out hornets.”
This quote comes from the relatively recently released action-thriller movie, The Beekeeper. There is no shortage of violence in the movie, yet the baseline premise is how the more vulnerable in our world are preyed upon, and how is it we are called upon to respond.
If you have ever met a beekeeper you know of the symbiotic relationship they have with the hive. While others are fearful of bees, beekeepers have a deep connection with the bees and a strong desire to care for and protect them.
Every day scammers, solicitors and salespersons intentionally target individuals who are exploited through fear, fast speak, and fine print. These texts, TV ads, phone calls and in person visits have one purpose and that is to rip you off (frankly, I often wonder, do your parents know what you do for a living?).
“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” This is my favorite quote from Gandhi. I appreciate the clarity of the corporate responsibility we have for each other, particularly the most vulnerable and specifically those whose plight is being taken advantage by others.
Imagine if each one of us saw ourselves as a beekeeper – deeply connected to the hive of humanity with a strong desire to care for and to protect others.
This is exactly what I think Jesus of Nazareth meant when he said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” MT 25:40
“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.” – African American inventor George Washington Carver
BP