Repeatedly we find occasions in life, when man feels he is helpless. It is when he feels that his life has become rudderless and without direction, that religion appears to him as his saviour. It saves his sinking ship. At that juncture, religion becomes a source of courage and conviction.

Religion is the source of all moral standards. Religion gives man the power to forgive the offender. Religion raises him above greed. The feeling of envy is uprooted from him. He treats people with tolerance. He honours people without any discrimination. He saves himself from committing injustice, always adhering to the path of justice. He treats even his enemies with justice and fairness. In society he becomes a positive force for the good.

Religion makes one a man of principle. He becomes a man of noble character. It develops in him self-control and self-discipline. A religious' man, by his very nature, is a predictable and therefore a dependable human being.

A religious person is a serious minded and honest person. Ever ready to look at himself critically, he develops within him a self-correcting mechanism. This quality keeps rejuvenating his personality.

A truly religious person never falls prey to frustration. He does not become overwrought in times of crisis. He never loses courage. He always lives in hope.

How does religion produce these superlative qualities in a man? The reason is that the ends of religion are connected to God, Who is the source of all goodness. God is thus a source of inspiration for everyone. Religion produces God-oriented thinking. Man's life then becomes a God-oriented life. A truly religious person enters into a profound communion with God. In this way, he becomes invincible.

Here I would like to quote an incident, by way of a metaphor, which shows the invincibility of a religious person - one who has complete faith in God, one whom even tidal waves cannot disturb.

Once a ship sailed from the American coast for Africa. It was still in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when it was hit by a severe storm. The ship began to shake violently. All the passengers panicked. They began running hither and thither. It seemed that the ship would sink at any moment.

In this hour of panic one of the passengers caught sight of a child in a corner of the ship, playing with her doll. The passenger asked the child: "Do you know what is going to happen?" The child asked in all innocence, "What is the matter?" The passenger replied: "Our ship has been hit by a storm and it is going to sink!" Continuing to play with her doll, she replied: "You know, my father is the captain of this ship. He is not going to let it sink."

This incident gives us a picture of a religious person. A truly religious person never falls prey to frustration. He does not become overwrought in times of crisis. He never loses courage. He always lives in hope. In every situation he is in a position to say:

"God Almighty is the captain of my ship. He is not going to let it sink."