A 91-year-old woman died after living a very long dignified life. When she
met God, she asked Him something that
had really bothered her for a very long time. “If Man was created in God’s
image, and if all men are created equal,
then why do people treat each other so badly?”
God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique lesson to teach
us. It is only through these lessons
that we learn about life, people and our relationship with God. This confused
the woman, so God began to explain:
“When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always what they
seem. The truth is often far beneath
the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know what is in
their hearts. Remove your own
masks to let people know who you really are.
When someone steals from you it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always
appreciate what you have. You never
know when you might lose it. Never take your friends or family for granted,
because today; and sometimes only
this very moment is the only guarantee you may have.
When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a
very fragile one. Protect and take
care of your body as best as you can, it’s the one thing that you have till the
end of your life.
When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When you
encounter people who are
different from you, do not judge them by how they look or act, instead base it
on the contents of what is in their
hearts.
When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not
always mean that the person will
love you back. But don’t turn your back on love, because when you find the right
person, the joy that one person
brings you will make up for all of your past hurts: times a thousand fold.
When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone makes
mistakes. When you are wronged,
the most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without pretense.
Forgiving those who have hurt us is
often the most difficult and painful of life’s experiences, but it is also the
most courageous thing a person can do.
When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation
is Man’s greatest challenge. Be
vigilant in your resistance against all temptations. By doing so, you will be
rewarded with an enduring sense of
satisfaction far greater than the temporary pleasure by which you were tempted.
When someone cheats you, it teaches you that greed is the root of all evil.
Aspire to make your dreams come true,
no matter how lofty they may be. Do not feel guilty about your success, but
never let an obsession with achieving
your goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities.
When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect. Accept people
for their merits and be tolerant
of their flaws. Do not ever reject someone for imperfections over which they
have no control.”
Upon hearing the Lord’s wisdom, the old woman became concerned that there are no
lessons to be learned from
man’s good deeds. God replied that Man’s capacity to love is the greatest gift
He has: at the root of kindness and
love, and each act of love also teaches us a lesson. The woman’s curiosity
deepened. God, once again began to
explain:
“When someone loves us, it teaches us love, kindness, charity, honesty,
humility, forgiveness, acceptance, and all
of these can counteract all the evil in the world. For every good deed, there is
one evil deed. Man alone has the
power to control the balance between good and evil, but because the lessons of
love are not taught often enough,
the power is too often abused.
When you enter someone’s life, whether by plan, chance or coincidence, consider
what your lesson will be. Will you
teach love or a harsh lesson of reality? When you die, will your life have
resulted in more loving or more hurting?
More comfort or more pain? More joy or more sadness? Each one of us has the
power over the balance of the love
in the world. Use it wisely!”
Don’t miss an opportunity to nudge the world’s scale in the right direction!
And always remember: There is a reason behind everything that God does.
-Author Unknown!