An elderly sage and his apprentice went on a journey to visit a friend and complete the next phase of the apprentice's training. they took very little with them, and as a result, they sought shelter for the night from kindly residents of the villages through which they passed.
One night, they came to an ornate manner. The Lord of the manner scoffed at the humble travelers who offered him only their company in exchange for shelter. However, he offered them a place in the barn with the pigs, which the sage accepted with a bow and words of gratitude. In the morning, as they traveled off the property, the sage stopped to repair a breech in the Lord's stone wall, an effort which delayed them on their journey considerably.
A few days later, the pair came upon a humble hoven. The owner of the croft brought in extra straw from outside to pad the mattress and gave up his bed to the travelers. He and his young wife slept on the floor. In the morning when the travelers rose to leave, they discovered that the man's cow had died during the night, leaving them without victuals for breakfast.
As the travelers continued on their journey, the apprentice seemed disturbed. The sage asked him to share his feelings and thoughts. The apprentice complained that the rich lord had treated them poorly and yet the sage had mended his fence. Then when the poor farmer's cow had died, they had left without a word or offer of help. How could this be right?
The sage smiled and sat down. "The rich man treated us poorly. During the night, God came to me in a dream and showed me that where the wall was broken it had exposed a vein of gold. I repaired the wall to prevent the rich man from getting the gold. The poor man, by contrast, treated us richly. While I slept that night, God appeared to me and told me that the poor man's wife would die that night. I persuaded him to take the cow instead. Things are not always as they seem."
I have learned a lot from perspective. Some things have happened to me in life that seem to be unfortunate, but with a few years or months, I realize that the Lord has been merciful to me. Perhaps, albeit unseen, he has also been just to those who did wrong by me in ways I cannot see. So when things seem unfair, I remember that if I do my best, it will be well with me in all the ways that matter, even if those are not ways that matter to the people around me.
One night, they came to an ornate manner. The Lord of the manner scoffed at the humble travelers who offered him only their company in exchange for shelter. However, he offered them a place in the barn with the pigs, which the sage accepted with a bow and words of gratitude. In the morning, as they traveled off the property, the sage stopped to repair a breech in the Lord's stone wall, an effort which delayed them on their journey considerably.
A few days later, the pair came upon a humble hoven. The owner of the croft brought in extra straw from outside to pad the mattress and gave up his bed to the travelers. He and his young wife slept on the floor. In the morning when the travelers rose to leave, they discovered that the man's cow had died during the night, leaving them without victuals for breakfast.
As the travelers continued on their journey, the apprentice seemed disturbed. The sage asked him to share his feelings and thoughts. The apprentice complained that the rich lord had treated them poorly and yet the sage had mended his fence. Then when the poor farmer's cow had died, they had left without a word or offer of help. How could this be right?
The sage smiled and sat down. "The rich man treated us poorly. During the night, God came to me in a dream and showed me that where the wall was broken it had exposed a vein of gold. I repaired the wall to prevent the rich man from getting the gold. The poor man, by contrast, treated us richly. While I slept that night, God appeared to me and told me that the poor man's wife would die that night. I persuaded him to take the cow instead. Things are not always as they seem."
I have learned a lot from perspective. Some things have happened to me in life that seem to be unfortunate, but with a few years or months, I realize that the Lord has been merciful to me. Perhaps, albeit unseen, he has also been just to those who did wrong by me in ways I cannot see. So when things seem unfair, I remember that if I do my best, it will be well with me in all the ways that matter, even if those are not ways that matter to the people around me.
Mercy cannot rob justice. It is impossible. --Boyd K Packer
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