A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,
"Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." The Lord led
the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man
looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the
middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and
made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared
to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each
found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but
because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the
spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of
their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same
as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of
stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped
with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well
nourished and plump, laughing, and talking. The holy man said, "I don't
understand."
"It is very simple," said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see,
in Heaven they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy in Hell
think only of themselves."
"Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like." The Lord led
the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man
looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the
middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and
made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared
to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each
found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but
because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the
spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of
their misery and suffering. The Lord said, "You have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same
as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of
stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped
with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well
nourished and plump, laughing, and talking. The holy man said, "I don't
understand."
"It is very simple," said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see,
in Heaven they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy in Hell
think only of themselves."
