How sweet of God



(61)
“Rafael, in our school, my friend’s dad is a customs officer and she brings all these beautiful things, saying, her father gets when he goes on duty. But we all know that he is taking the things from the people who come from abroad. But is it really right Rafael, to take other’s hard earned things. I really feel bad about it.”

“You should be Monica. Never ever wish to have others things. I’ll say a story of what problems arise by wishing for other’s things.”

“Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a remote village. He worked very hard from dawn to dusk in his field. He never wasted his time sitting simply. And while working, he used to pray, God help me. So he was always concentrated on his work and his thoughts in God.” All nodded.

“He had his daily ritual, His wife would prepare his breakfast and pack it and a bottle of water in a pitcher and he would take his dog for company. Before dawn breaks, he would be ready to start his work. He prepared the field, which took several days, then he ploughed it, that too took several  more days, after that he sowed the seeds in his field and watered it weekly. The first sprouts came by. The farmer was very happy. He waited and waited, till the time for harvesting arrived. The next day the farmer decided to harvest. So his wife too accompanied him. So that they could complete their work quickly. When they reached the field, there was not a single stalk on the field, everything was gone. The farmer couldn’t believe his eyes. Where did his hard work go? He looked around and he didn’t find anything. Seeing the field empty, the wife fell unconscious.”

“Oh! How terrible, who might have done it, Rafael.”

“Well nobody knew. The farmer immediately helped his wife restore consciousness and during that time too, he prayed, God help me.”

“But after all these prayer, why this unfairness Rafael?”

“Anyway we’ll look, what happened.” Rebecca nodded.

“That’s better, the suspense is really killing me.” All smiled

“Without another word, the couple returned home. The farmer, sat in a corner and looked far away still praying, God help me, because, it became a chant for him, he had no other prayer and do you know, whether knowingly or unknowingly, God cannot deny his services to that farmer because it was not once or ten times. It was several 1000 times, the farmer was asking his help."

"So you mean to say the his prayer was really answered? Did God really help him, Rafael?"

"Yes Rebecca, in real, God gave the farmer the health, the courage and a spirit to work hard, The only investment of the farmer was the attitude, the decision whether he would like to work or not. So in real, who is  doing the job?"

"Yeah its God, surely, there is nothing of the farmer to boast of."

"Right, and the farmer too knew that it was with the help of God, he did it. So naturally the produce is too should be entitled to God, isn't it?"

"Naturally Rafael, its not fair to keep all what is produced to ourselves. But now, in the farmer's case, God has been cheated too. Now what will happen?"

"Yes, God was cheated of his share. So what  do you think, God will sit still?” All nodded in the negative.

“Great, I hope God the hero comes to the scene.”

“Hmmm. Well He didn’t have to, but His angel arrived.”

“Who? Gabriel?”

“yeah Gabriel, as a beggar and requested the farmer to show the way to a certain field.”

“Did the farmer  know the place?”

“Yes, it was close to his field. So without saying a word, he directed the beggar to the field. On the way, the farmer had to pass his field. But the farmer didn’t bother to look into his field, but it was so bright, that he had to look what the source of light was and lo behold!!! The field was full of precious stones. The farmer looked around and found only the beggar in sight and nobody else. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He took one precious stone and inspected it. Yes it was true. But he didn’t have an answer to any of this."
"OH!! God might have put it there?" All nodded.

"Might be, but Gabriel, stooped down to pick one stone, when the farmer said, "Don't take it. Its not yours."

"Oh! that's mean of him, isn't it Rafael?"

"Well we'll see, why he was mean. The farmer picked two precious stones which had the value of his grains and while picking too he was chantng, "God help me" and he gave from the share of what he picked to the beggar and said, “Sir, I do not know why you beg, but it is always good to work hard and earn your living than to degrade yourself and extend your hand and wish for others money." so saying he extended one stone, " Take this and work hard and do  good with a prayer on your lips.”

“Just imagine Gabriel’s dilemma.” All nodded and smiled.

“Yes, Gabriel indeed felt ashamed but he was puzzled too.”

“Why?”

“Well Gabriel asked, “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you not picking up the whole lot of precious stones?” The farmer smiled and said, “Do not take what is not ours, Use only what is entitled to us. I do not know, whose this is, but I had some grains to be harvested today which was gone by dawn. So I feel that it was the gift entitled to me, but this precious stones hold more price than what it cost for my grains. So all these are not mine. I am taking for the exact price of what it would fetch and I am not the only owner of this land’s produce, there is a more powerful person who helps me every second of my life and his share is what I gave you. So use it wisely. If I take more than my share, I would not only lose what I have, some more would be taken from me, that which I have earned from my hard work. I do not want it to happen.” Gabriel nodded and changed his form.
"Just imagine the surprise of the farmer?"

"Yes, I too thought so Mark, but in the real sense, he was not surprised. The farmer smiled at Gabriel and said, “So God had indeed sent his messenger? Good, you came. Just pass those share which I gave you to Him, will you? " Gabriel nodded " and say, thank you.” Gabriel opened his palm and there stood a shiny stone, the most beautiful precious stone, he tightly closed it and looked straight into farmer’s eye and said, “The most precious gift I have ever had the luck to hold. Yes sir, I will give it to Him. But give me a word. Keep the stones, which you have taken from the field intact. Never part with it because, it was the gift that God sent you.”

“Oh!!!!!!! How sweet of God.”

“Yes it was sweet of God, but it didn’t stop there, the farmer nodded and kept it in his pouch. Gabriel said good bye and left.” The farmer returned back home and there he saw a big load of grains in front of his yard.”

“Oh Wow!!! What happened?”

“Well, it was the village headman, who had used his motor harvester to rob the farmer. But after robbing, he took the produce to his go down, but unfortunately, the vehicle reached his go down and there a big fire was flaring. He called his servants and tried to save some of his grais, but it was no use, it all became ashes and the godown got gutted. He didn’t know what to do with the stolen grains. He sat there not knowing and a beggar passed by and asked him alms.”

"Rafael, just imagine the situation? actually, it should be the other way round. Its so funny" All nodded and smiled.

“Well, I'm sure it might be Gabriel.” All nodded.Rafael smiled

“Might be Ajay, but anyway, the head man was very angry. He said, “Can’t you work and earn? Why do you beg from others, you should have some shame to extend your arms in front of others.” All smiled.

“I think the head man might have gone crazy.” All nodded

“Actually he was not aware of what he was doing until the beggar gave him a pat reply.”

“Really, what did he say?”

"And if I may ask you sir, what is the hard work of the farmer doing here? Don’t you have any shame to steal others hard work? God gave you several opportunities, God gave you riches, position and still you steal from the poor? Shame on you. Anyway I came to warn you. If you touch a single grain of the farmer, you will have to bear the consequence.”

“The next moment, the beggar moved off, without looking back. At that time, the headman knew, the reason of his downfall. He didn’t stay a single moment, he turned the vehicle to the farmers house and deposited the whole grain there and left never to return.”

“Now what will happen to the headman Rafael?”

“Well naturally, he is a doomed man. He would never be able get out of the downfall. God gives several opportunities for all of us to rectify our mistakes, but if we do not accept it and take the right path, then we would really cave in, unable to come out. And as the farmer did, accept only what is yours and a share of it is God’s, give it and surely, riches would be added to you.”

“The farmer kept the precious stones because he had promised to keep it, isn’t it Rafael?”

“Yes, he had and he never parted with it because it was a physical testimony of the gift from God. The gift of hard work."

"Its so lovely, to get a gift like that isn't it Rafael?"

"Yes it is and we are getting it too, when we work genuinely for ourselves or for others God invests His love, knowledge, wisdom, health, strength, courage and perfection into us, the only thing we have to do is accept to do it happily and whatever you get from it, sometimes it might be money or sometimes, name or sometimes, fame or sometimes shame or humiliation, whatever it might be, you are not to take the whole thing, a share of it is God's, because His love, knowledge, wisdom, strength and courage has been passed to us for the success of the act."

"Oh!!!!!!! that's a lovely thought, name fame is OK but shame and humiliation? How would it be possible Rafael?"

"Be sure, God never puts us in trouble. Do you know why?" 

"We are the drop of soul from the ocean of God soul. And when we are part of God, would He harm you?" All nodded in the negative. 

"So if we get humiliation or hurt, give God's share, we'll see how it turns to be one of the best experiences, your life could ever have. Sometimes, it might be immediate or sometimes it might be delayed. But be sure, you will really get the gift of hard work."

"But our body has caged our soul with atoms creating a body around the soul, which are really invisible to our naked eyes, but the inner eyes, the eyes of the soul or what do we call our Self is unable to see all these because our physical eyes sees what is not there."

"But Rafael, what we see is, what is there. Now I can see you, then how come you say I see what is not there?"

"Good question Mathew, actually, there is a devil in you, who decides, what you should see, the mind. It gives lots of reason to block the soul from uniting with God soul and he gives you this idea of amassing wealth, asking for other's money and robbing others money and their goods, etc.. etc... which in real has been created because the mind gave the idea and you wished to see it and there it is. All these physical things are made of invisible atoms. So in real, whatever we see is not there." All nodded "And the end result?"

"We go knee deep in trouble. So in short, the soul gets locked more and more into our own body, isn't it, Rafael?"

"Exactly and we will never get to become happy in life, because, no things like money, fame, name or anything can make us happy only when we reach God soul can we be happy and at peace. So when you think of amassing wealth, be sure, not to entangle your soul deeper and deeper and get you into trouble." All nodded.

"And by the end of the day I have only one thing to say,  never ever think of amassing wealth, work hard, pray and give God’s share. You would never have to count your penny and you would be physically rewarded for the share you give God. Will you remember that?”

“Sure Rafael, We’ll pass this to our parents too. Thank you very much.”


 “OK then, its time to say bye, we’ll meet tomorrow.” All nodded
...to be contd....(62)....

Until then... Take care.....Bye

Meena

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