鲜花( 0) 鸡蛋( 0)
|
THE STENCH OF HATRED
4 U3 s# f8 k4 z: |* t! n& P1 x3 r
0 D6 _$ F6 P/ C2 F+ Z# }* R S2 \. d" s8 \# Q8 Z
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. $ ^ c# v% m1 v! ?& ]' c" m a
1 _; O. K+ J ]* P/ U
The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic % v2 ]/ I3 d/ `! V+ |4 ~* g5 X0 Y
$ F, x. G4 G5 F G
bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
9 X Z% e$ s( O- Q) K! V2 C2 w2 f. k4 z4 D( Y& T. I
of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
$ |1 U/ H }4 l, K; ?- c1 ]; S' [% ^! q0 ~/ D+ n, ^& @$ }
a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
! U, M, w9 K; _( y( [$ E, g, \8 h+ ?5 J j/ i
of people he/she hates.
: F# Y- F( z+ E8 Z2 r9 m' B
; M: ]( N" ], L9 G6 sSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
* c/ |& x; b o2 }" {2 C4 d3 E6 D/ k" B: J% Y1 I
the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
% ^/ j/ i8 n8 k7 e# `6 J3 f: H! [8 Z! Q9 |
3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
. h; Y6 C" u. i& C$ m& s" P2 H4 s3 A1 o! j( B/ k: m. f, T0 c
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes & }2 X4 G5 Q' ~" l; {8 s
& h# O6 M/ Z- @: N" G4 B5 w) Cin the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
+ C# T; k7 [9 H, l, ?* s" ~+ ^2 j: G5 `4 r6 o% o4 y$ L; M
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
+ Z% j/ z; K o1 `% F9 w+ r' c, I$ z6 G
due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, $ Z8 |. _* c0 x5 q
: \6 w0 W; E/ k2 I
those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 ! B3 P1 j1 [- d
I5 D7 s8 A1 E! Uweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. 9 D% Q$ n0 e- k% O. m7 b+ P; I
: H; w3 A# F, ]2 U9 k1 b7 M0 G9 {The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
0 A( I5 C! ^0 r8 P. }* v8 {( m3 M& q, d& `
with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
" I% y/ e, N. `: T+ ~4 k6 c3 R2 F" n
started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through ) j. p: i0 H" h" [7 n) ]
. E0 y( M2 B8 w2 D7 @3 F& W
having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. , }8 x& Z( x6 s! P6 {1 V B
9 ], ^/ \% _, Y" }: JThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
6 }7 A8 Q- |6 M f U z B8 E/ {7 m9 `2 j; j z0 L; _
The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry + f( i- \+ q* K/ v, M V
* _; _& t6 H1 q, p& @your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
; s* F* F2 l/ T& Z( N( R& r5 u! ?' W
will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever 5 Y9 z) M _/ `" I) f9 j6 f( |
" P5 D) p0 F) C8 w
you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
( |/ H0 o4 D' p
" R) U6 u$ R2 t$ \( K- f) T1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred 1 S" t# f- O4 l+ k6 \& d
4 z1 A1 ]( d; }- \1 m3 o+ R- s) Q; Y
in your heart for your lifetime???"
5 Z. q1 Q: B1 J" t6 y& ~
% g/ O3 W. G4 s7 K* h; x"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
% o* W0 c6 N# l$ s' X8 @3 }5 T; t# H0 V' v
it is something you do for yourself. - R! F" T. g. b
. I/ Z. Y$ e* Q$ e% A: T1 u! SGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
|