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....