Things Are Not Always As They Seem
Things are not always as they seem.
The story is told of two angels who came to earth in disguise to interact with humans. Of course, this is just a tale – but it pays us to remember the biblical adage to be careful as we entertain strangers for we might be entertaining angels unaware.
Well, these two angels stopped at a house and knocked at the door, hoping for some food and lodging. The residents of the house proved to be terribly rude and obnoxious. They were negative and greedy, giving barely (and resentfully) a crust of bread, and a very small serving of putrid water. Grudgingly, they allowed the strangers to spend the night, but made them sleep in the back room on a cold, hard floor without blankets or pillows.
As the two angels prepared to turn in, they noticed a hole in the wall. One of the angels immediately went to the wall and began to patch it. He worked until the wall was completely repaired – smooth, without any evidence of the hole.
“I sure don’t understand why you went to the bother of fixing that wall for them” the second angel said, “Those people were downright mean and nasty. They didn’t deserve to have their hole patched!”
“Things are not always as they seem,” said the first angel.
The next morning, the two angels made their way down the road to another house. It was a small cottage, belonging to a poor farmer and his wife. This poverty stricken couple hardly had enough to survive, and barely scraped by. Yet, in contrast to the first hosts, they were kind, generous and gracious.
“We don’t have much food in the house, but we gladly share it with you, friends,” said the good hearted farmer. After a simple meal, the angels were given the farmer’s bed for the night. “My wife and I will sleep on the floor. We don’t mind.”
The angels slept comfortably.
In the morning, the farmer and his wife were horrified to discover that something terrible had happened in the night. Their only cow died -- just keeled over and went belly up. Now, they really needed this cow. They depended on her for milk every day. It was a heartbreaking experience, and they wept bitterly.
Leaving the home, the second angel said, “Now, I REALLY don’t understand this! At the first home, the people were rotten and treated us badly, and you fixed the hole in their wall. Now, the second couple was kind and good to us, and this is how they are repaid? It doesn’t make sense at all!”
Again, the first angel said, “Things are not always as they seem.”
“Well they sure seem wrong to me!” complained the first angel, “Can you give me an explanation?”
The first angel replied, “At the first home, a long time ago, someone hid a great treasure trove of gold and diamonds in that wall. I patched the hole, so those selfish people would never have it.”
“Yes, but what about the cow?” the second angel inquired.
“Last night the angel of death came into the house. He had come for the farmer’s wife, but I talked him into taking the cow instead.”
Things are not always as they seem.
The story is told of two angels who came to earth in disguise to interact with humans. Of course, this is just a tale – but it pays us to remember the biblical adage to be careful as we entertain strangers for we might be entertaining angels unaware.
Well, these two angels stopped at a house and knocked at the door, hoping for some food and lodging. The residents of the house proved to be terribly rude and obnoxious. They were negative and greedy, giving barely (and resentfully) a crust of bread, and a very small serving of putrid water. Grudgingly, they allowed the strangers to spend the night, but made them sleep in the back room on a cold, hard floor without blankets or pillows.
As the two angels prepared to turn in, they noticed a hole in the wall. One of the angels immediately went to the wall and began to patch it. He worked until the wall was completely repaired – smooth, without any evidence of the hole.
“I sure don’t understand why you went to the bother of fixing that wall for them” the second angel said, “Those people were downright mean and nasty. They didn’t deserve to have their hole patched!”
“Things are not always as they seem,” said the first angel.
The next morning, the two angels made their way down the road to another house. It was a small cottage, belonging to a poor farmer and his wife. This poverty stricken couple hardly had enough to survive, and barely scraped by. Yet, in contrast to the first hosts, they were kind, generous and gracious.
“We don’t have much food in the house, but we gladly share it with you, friends,” said the good hearted farmer. After a simple meal, the angels were given the farmer’s bed for the night. “My wife and I will sleep on the floor. We don’t mind.”
The angels slept comfortably.
In the morning, the farmer and his wife were horrified to discover that something terrible had happened in the night. Their only cow died -- just keeled over and went belly up. Now, they really needed this cow. They depended on her for milk every day. It was a heartbreaking experience, and they wept bitterly.
Leaving the home, the second angel said, “Now, I REALLY don’t understand this! At the first home, the people were rotten and treated us badly, and you fixed the hole in their wall. Now, the second couple was kind and good to us, and this is how they are repaid? It doesn’t make sense at all!”
Again, the first angel said, “Things are not always as they seem.”
“Well they sure seem wrong to me!” complained the first angel, “Can you give me an explanation?”
The first angel replied, “At the first home, a long time ago, someone hid a great treasure trove of gold and diamonds in that wall. I patched the hole, so those selfish people would never have it.”
“Yes, but what about the cow?” the second angel inquired.
“Last night the angel of death came into the house. He had come for the farmer’s wife, but I talked him into taking the cow instead.”
Things are not always as they seem.
Thank you Mark. I needed this today. Thank God, "Things Are Not Always As They Seem."
ReplyDeletegreat story...it reminds me of what Jesus did. Gave his own life for us not to be perish. Godbless! =)
ReplyDelete