Who is Rich?

There lived in a city two brothers. One had faced every test of God with humbleness, courage and contentment. Being pious by nature and pure by heart he remained silent in patience and accepted all who came to him as the Will and the Grace of his beloved God. Today was no ordinary day for him. The only son that he had was killed while defending his country. He had been a mother and a father to him as his wife had passed on during the time of his son’s birth. He always said to his son, “Child, the first thing you must learn to do even before you walk… talk… is to smile. When you smile no matter what, you show your gratitude toward our beloved Lord who watches over us at every moment. A smile is a gift of God that must be used to uplift the soul of one’s self, and with that joy one must uplift the soul of all those that surround you.”
Often the child asked, “Father, how do I smile in times of peril… obstacles… and losses?” The father replied, “O Child, place the love of God before all else. Whenever there is peril before you remember His million arms that embrace and protect you… Whenever there is an obstacle draw the strength from God’s love and overcome its fear. Once you have overcome fear the obstacle that seemed a mountain will become a speck of dust. And when something you love is taken away remember God has taken it away for you began to love it more than Him. Forgetting God’s love is forgetting one’s Self. And one loves something more than his principles… his character… and his own truth. God’s grace descends and He takes your weaknesses away and Himself stands before you with His hands full of spiritual gifts……
He knew today that God reminded him that love for his son had weakened his bond with truth. And truth stood before his door today… His son had followed every word of his and had faced the perils of fear with courage… he had faced the obstacles of war with selflessness and had smiled until he could fight the enemy with his principles… character… and his soul.
The older brother however was quite different from his poor brother. He was successful in worldly pursuits… and selfish in thought and deed. He too had a son that never respected his father and often squandered the wealth of his father in developing wrong friendships and habits. His father had always taught him, “Son… whenever an opportunity comes your way that enriches you with fame and wealth, grab it. Be shrewd with anyone else that may come in your way. Spend your time in seeing how much more you can receive by the shortest unscrupulous ways. Do not worry about God watching over you. He will forgive you no matter what. And don’t forget to offer to Him a little of what you have so you do not face His wrath.”
The son asked, “Father, what do I do if I do not succeed… or if someone else does better than me… or if troubles come my way?” The arrogant father said, “Son, remember there are no rules to succeed… No matter what the closeness with anyone… do what is best for you. Always see who is doing better than you and find a way to receive his wealth and stop the days of his success. Do not rest until you have what he has in his possession. And as for troubles, you can always bribe another and find your way. Money is your name… your identity… your security and your only friend.” Today was a big day for his brother, too for he was going to hear the sentence given to his son for embezzling another business owner.
Both the brothers found themselves in the same house of God for prayer. They hugged each other and found out that one had lost his son to God and the other was losing his son to the law. They stood before God…… The poor brother knelt before the Lord and smiled in silence. The rich brother knelt before the Lord and offered to Him a crown of gold studded with diamonds. He shed tears and cried.
Both met each other after their prayer outside the home of God. The poor brother said to his rich brother, “Dear brother, God gave me all that I ever could want. He took away the mother of my son so I could learn and appreciate the selfless love of a mother within me. He taught me to guard my principles and character like every father should, and pass on the wealth of this experience to my son. My son lived that love of a mother by protecting his country and lived the principles of character of a father by fighting courageously for his beliefs… He gave to me by giving up his life, a new life to live in God’s love. How blessed am I. Today, dear brother, I thanked God for me and asked Him a boon for you. I told Him to wipe your tears and give you the gift of the smile that He gave to me. I hope you receive that, dear brother.”
The rich one wept as he said, “O brother, you have taught me today this very instant to smile. I have only until now earned the disrespect of my own soul. I have given to my son the curse of fear… the dirt of greed… the pain of selfishness…… I have taught him to wage a war against his own soul. I have asked him to sell his principles in order to receive worldly gains. I have made God his enemy that he must please with insincerity and contempt. I have taught him to be angry… I have taught him to be sad… I have taught him to steal and grab. And that is why I cry today. I am the cause of my own tears. I am the cause of my son’s downfall… And you, dear brother are the gift that God sends to bear sons like yours and to change the fallen ones like me. I shall from now turn to my soul… I shall smile for the love of God that turns this world is within me. I shall smile for I have yet to begin my life as me… as your brother… as a father…… I have found the wealth to smile and I shall never forget that you gave to me the only expression that a soul ever has…i.e. joy… joy… joy….
Who is rich?   
The one that can smile
From the beginning
To the end…
The one that can remember
The Lord…
And…
The Grace
That He sends…
The one that upholds
The truth and law
The one that looks
Ahead with courage
And sees all as good
And never a flaw…
The one that
Carries the fear
Of the weak
The one that
Protects
The shy and the meek…
The one
That fights a war
To make the enemy
A lifelong friend
The one
That draws
The love of God
And makes all wars
Come to an end…
The one that
Gives his life
For others to live
The right way
He is the rich one
That learns
To smile… first
In his life
And leaves behind
A story… sweet…
Forever to stay….