674. Collection of Arrears

A small company that introduces its product faces a vicious situation. The customers want the product on credit. Otherwise, they will not accept it. Once the credit is extended, a part of the credit remains unpaid. It can never be collected until the product is in demand. Once the product changes status, credit can be easily collected. A proverb says, "Outstanding monies have to be written off, unless persistent efforts are made to collect them" This is very true, not only in arrears but in many other places. Promotions due are often to be claimed, seldom granted automatically. There are unaffectionate families where the mother herself says, "I won't feed you unless you ask for it." The world is not civilised enough to always grant a person his due without asking for it.

Mother's Spiritual Force introduces that civilising influence in the lives of those who accept Her. Once a person knows Mother, he feels Her atmosphere. It removes the angularities of life, the sharpness of life's waves. What is due comes to a devotee unasked, as She offers without fail what we do not ask for or even deserve. Collection of arrears has not proved to be a problem to the devotees. Even here, there are tough situations, as "arrears" have more than one definition. An editor of a magazine began to appreciate the immense value of strategies that can multiply the company profits. He spoke to many of his friends in business. There was universal welcome for the ideas. The editor offered them articles and books. The industrialists were all appreciation, but were unable to fully utilise the strategies unless someone would come and stay with them and constantly guide them. To his surprise, the editor discovered that almost no one was willing to pay for such services.

In such cases, clients whose business has multiplied five times or even ten times feel no obligation to pay the contracted fees. To them, they are not ‘arrears'. In several cases, ‘arrears' will differ in definition according to the convenience of the situation. The normal recourse is law. That is RIGHT. But it can be collected by consecration, meaning referring to Mother the arrears each time they come to memory. Invariably, the amount is collected. I know of no instance where consecration has failed to collect the due. One client who owed Rs. 400,000 decided to stop payment after 20,000. Urged by compunction, he offered another 20,000. The devotee to whom it was due resorted to consecration. On his own, the client paid a lakh and after two years again on his own paid all the arrears. It must be TRUE that the services deserve the fees.  The less the devotee values MONEY, the more easily it moves towards him. Money value is a bar.