Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to
spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was
rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest
room. Instead, the angels were given a small space in the cold
basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older
angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger
angel asked why, the older angel replied,

Things Aren't Always What They Seem...



The next night the pair came to
rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and
his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple
let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good
night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels
found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose
milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger
angel was infuriated and he asked the older angel, How could
you have possibly let this happen?



The first man had everything,
yet you helped him by fixing the whole in the wall!
The second family had little but was willing
to share everything, and you let the cow die.



Things aren't always what they seem
the older angel replied. When we stayed in the basement
of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in
the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling
to share his good fortune,
I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it.
Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death
came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.

Things aren't always what the seem....