Thoughts from here and There…How to Be Content
One of my favorite stories is told by J. Ellsworth Kalas in The Ten Commandments From the Back Side that I discovered in Homiletics Magazine. It goes like this:
Tauler of Strasbourg is remembered as a great 14th century saint and mystic. One day he learned a lesson from an anonymous beggar.
“God give you a good day, my friend,” Tauler said as he met the beggar.
“I thank God I never had a bad day,” the beggar quickly answered.
Tauler was silent for a moment, then said, “God give you a happy life, my friend.”
And the beggar answered, “I thank God I am never unhappy.”
Now Tauler was nonplused. “Never unhappy,” he said. “What do you mean?”
Well, the beggar replied, “When it is fine, I thank God; when it rains, I thank God; when I have plenty, I thank God; when I am hungry, I thank God; and since God’s will is my will, and whatever pleases him pleases me, why should I say that I am unhappy when I am not?”
Tauler was now in awe of his new friend. “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am a king,” said the beggar.
“A king!” said Tauler, half ready to believe it. “Where is your kingdom?”
The man in rags spoke calmly, strongly, “In my heart,” he whispered. “In my heart.”
I must confess that I have not yet achieved the heights of gratitude expressed by the “beggar.” There are days, and we all have them, when the grayness of life hides the Sun of life. No matter! I press on! The gray dissipates and the sun shines. More often than not, this happens when I begin to find the many ways though which I can express a sense of contentment.
I hope that you find this story hope-filling and uplifting.