The wealth that counts

…has nothing to do with the amount of money you have in the bank

diamond ringA thief breaks into the house of a man, who is a true man of God. The thief is poor: he and his family members haven’t eaten even a morsel of food for some days.

When the man of God learns of it, he says to the thief, “Do not waste your time. In yonder drawer is a costly ring that belongs to my wife. Take it and run before she comes and catches you. And may the peace of God be with you!”

The thief cannot believe his ears. He rubs his eyes, moves towards the drawer, takes out the ring and disappears in no time. Soon, the wife returns, and discovering the loss, makes a hue and cry. To her husband, she says, “Someone has stolen my diamond ring costing over five thousand rupees.”

“I did not know it was worth that much!” the man of God exclaims and immediately runs after the thief.

The man of God overtakes the thief and says to him, “I have come to tell you that the ring you have taken is worth over five thousand rupees. See that you do not part with it for a smaller amount.”

The thief’s eyes fill with tears. He finds himself in a new experience. He had never, in all his life, seen the resemblance of such love. And that single moment, his life changes. He gets transformed… he becomes a new man.

The man of God was a true bhakta of the Lord. He was rich in the only wealth that counts—the wealth of love. He loved God with all the intensity of his being.

And in acts of daily life, he taught that to love God is to do the Will of God. And if there is one thing, which God wills for us, it is this that we love our fellowmen as He Himself loves them. To love our fellowmen is to live for them.

And, if need be, to die for them! Such a life, as it unfolds day after day, becomes an unending love story that is stranger, indeed, than fiction and richer than a romance!

J P Vaswani
J P Vaswani (2 August 1918 – 12 July 2018) ), affectionately called "Dada", was a spiritual leader with a difference. His message of love and forgiveness resonated deeply with millions of people around the world. He spearheaded Sadhu Vaswani Mission, which he took over after the passing away of his master T L Vaswani. The mission has centres around the world and continues to do humanitarian work. Dada has received the prestigious U-Thant Peace Award for his dedicated service to the world peace.

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