Nudge The Balance {Insp}

"Nudge The Balance"

A 91-year-old woman died after living a very long
dignified life.

When she met G~d, she asked Him something that
had really bothered her for a very long time. "If Man was
created in G~d's image, and if all men are created equal,
why do people treat each other so badly?"

G~d replied that each person who enters our life has a
unique lesson to teach us. It is only through these lessons
that we learn about life, people and our relationships with
G~d. This confused the woman, so G~d began to explain:

"When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are
not always what they seem. The truth is often far beneath
the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you
want to know what is in their hearts. Remove your own
masks to let people know who you really are.

When someone steals from you it teaches you that nothing
is forever. Always appreciate what you have. You never know
when you might lose it. Never take your friends or family for
granted, because today and sometimes only this very
moment is the only guarantee you may have.

When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that
the human state is a very fragile one. Protect and take care
of your body as best as you can, it's the one thing that you
are sure to have forever.

When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people
are alike. When you encounter people who are different from
you, do not judge them by how they look or act, instead base
it on the contents of what is in their hearts.

When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving
someone does not always mean that the person will love you
back. But don't turn your back on love, because when you find
the right person that absolutely fills your heart with joy, the joy
that one person brings you will make up for all of your past
hurts. Times a thousand fold.

When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you
that everyone makes mistakes. When you are wronged, the
most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without
pretense. Forgiving those who have hurt us is often the most
difficult and painful of life's experiences, but it is also the
most courageous thing a person can do.

When someone cheats you, it teaches you that greed is the
root of all evil. Aspire to make your dreams come true, no
matter how lofty they may be. Do not feel guilty about your
success, but never let an obsession with achieving your
goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities.

When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is
perfect. Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of
their flaws. Do not ever reject someone for imperfections
over which they have no control."

Upon hearing the Lord's wisdom, the old woman became
concerned that there are no lessons to be learned from
man's good deeds.

G~d replied that Man's capacity to love is the greatest gift
He has. At the root of kindness and love, and each act of
love also teaches us a lesson. The woman's curiosity
deepened. G~d, once again began to explain:

"When someone loves us, it teaches us love, kindness,
charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness, acceptance, and
all of these can counteract all the evil in the world. For
every good deed, there is one evil deed. Man alone has
the power to control the balance between good and evil,
but because the lessons of love are not taught often
enough, the power is too often abused.

When you enter someone's life, whether by plan, chance
or coincidence, consider what your lesson will be. Will
you teach love or a harsh lesson of reality? When you
die, will your life have resulted in more loving or more
hurting? More comfort or more pain? More joy or more
sadness? Each one of us has the power over the
balance of the love in the world. Use it wisely!"

Don't miss an opportunity to nudge the world's scale
in the right direction!

On my road through life, may I handle each crisis
as a small bump and not a major chuckhole."
Received on Sun May 20 08:18:07 2007