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 asked the older angel: "How could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him", she accused. "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 farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."
Things aren’t always what they seem. This little heifer in the photo might be “mooing because she’s in some kind of distress, afraid or just a bit lonely. Thank goodness she lives in a barn tended by a kind and generous farmer who takes good care of his heifers.
God takes good care of us despite the fact we don’t think he pays much attention to our concerns. We “moo” out of pain or desperation, but we need to believe that God hears all our cries for help. That’s the love we celebrate this Valentine’s Day. The love of God that knows what “mooves us” to stretch beyond our normal comfort zone and reach out to help a frighten heifer calf or maybe a frighten child or neighbor.
Immanuel prays for us as we reflect; “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose hearts are “mooved” each day with the desire to listen to the cries of their brothers and sisters and respond with Your love and compassion.
