Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a
wealthy family.

 

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the
mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small
space in the cold basement.

 

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in
the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older
angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

 

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor,
but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food
they had the couple let the angel sleep in their bed where they could
have a good night's rest.

 

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his
wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay
dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older
angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything,
yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was
willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

 

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.
"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was
gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed
with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall
so he wouldn't find it." Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed,
the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things
aren't always what they seem."

 

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out
the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that
every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until
some time later...