The Miracle of Life Before Death
Peter Rollins’s new parable on Twitter (over 3 days):
There was once a poor and compassionate woman who lived in one of the world’s largest cities. She was a kind and tender lady who labored tirelessly with the unloved and unwanted. She was also a skilled painter and would subsidize her work by sketching portraits of wealthy tourists in their fine robes. At night she would chat with strangers in the local tavern or relax with friends in her modest home at the edge of the city. Her life continued in this way for many years; however, on her thirtieth birthday she made an incredible discovery. She found that she had been miraculously bestowed with an astonishing gift. For no apparent reason she could now perform supernatural feats of the sort she had only heard of in the fables of old.
One word from her lips could generate breathtaking wealth and a mere thought could turn her dwelling into a golden palace. People would travel thousands of miles just to sit in her presence, watch what she could do and learn from her. Soon even those in power began to take note of this miracle worker, and were awed by her immense power. Her divine gift captivated everyone she met and causes many to revere her as a god. Yet, throughout her entire life, not one person ever learned of her supernatural powers; for never once did she use them.
She could have taken herself out of poverty in an instant or gained any possession in the blink of an eye. Yet she had no desire to do so for she already loved her life and saw it as already infused with overwhelming beauty. People were in awe of her because she was able to love without limit, forgive without reserve and live without fear. The rich were so poor that they longed to be in the presence of one who could live meaningfully in a world that seemed devoid of meaning. To them she was nothing less than a living testimony that life before death was possible. This woman’s very existence was her miracle and her example was her divine gift to humanity.
Magnificent!
Yep.
This is great!
I like this very much.
I see Mother Teresa. But then… I think Mother struggled more than this parable suggests. And honestly, who wouldn’t.
The ideas you srhaed here are rather priceless. It absolutely was such an entertaining surprise to have that awaiting me once i woke up this very day. They are continually to the point and easy to grasp. Thank you so much for the thoughtful ideas you have srhaed in this article.