Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. Thank you. Recently, I felt led to share the below in an email to a friend. I feel led to share the content of the email with you, because we need one another. May you see yourself in a new light as you read what I shared with her.
The way that I look at it is that we are all just as important. Each individual is unique with gifts, talents and abilities that other people may not possess. We are not in competition with one another. As I use my gifts, talents and abilities other people are “fed”. As other people use their gifts, talents and abilities, I am fed. By being who we are, we feed one another.
I once heard a friend of mine, Billy, share an allegory that he heard. I thought about that allegory as I wrote this email, and then did some research online. I found the allegory. The allegory illustrates the importance that we play in each others lives. The allegory illustrates what we create when we feed one another and when we chose to not feed one another.
The name of the allegory is, “Allegory of the Long Spoons”. The allegory describes one person’s perspective. I do not believe the allegory determines the destination of the individual. Instead, I believe the allegory illustrates that the quality of life is determined by what we create.
Here is the allegory:
Rabbi Haim of Romshishok [2] was an itinerant preacher. He traveled from town to town delivering religious sermons that stressed the importance of respect for one’s fellow man. He often began his talks with the following story:
“I once ascended to the firmaments. I first went to see Hell and the sight was horrifying. Row after row of tables were laden with platters of sumptuous food, yet the people seated around the tables were pale and emaciated, moaning in hunger. As I came closer, I understood their predicament.
“Every person held a full spoon, but both arms were splinted with wooden slats so he could not bend either elbow to bring the food to his mouth. It broke my heart to hear the tortured groans of these poor people as they held their food so near but could not consume it.
“Next I went to visit Heaven. I was surprised to see the same setting I had witnessed in Hell – row after row of long tables laden with food. But in contrast to Hell, the people here in Heaven were sitting contentedly talking with each other, obviously sated from their sumptuous meal.
“As I came closer, I was amazed to discover that here, too, each person had his arms splinted on wooden slats that prevented him from bending his elbows. How, then, did they manage to eat?
“As I watched, a man picked up his spoon and dug it into the dish before him. Then he stretched across the table and fed the person across from him! The recipient of this kindness thanked him and returned the favor by leaning across the table to feed his benefactor.
I suddenly understood. Heaven and Hell offer the same circumstances and conditions. The critical difference is in the way the people treat each other.
I ran back to Hell to share this solution with the poor souls trapped there. I whispered in the ear of one starving man, “You do not have to go hungry. Use your spoon to feed your neighbor, and he will surely return the favor and feed you.”
“‘You expect me to feed the detestable man sitting across the table?’ said the man angrily. ‘I would rather starve than give him the pleasure of eating!’
“I then understood God’s wisdom in choosing who is worthy to go to Heaven and who deserves to go to Hell.” [3]
As read this article and questions come to mind, please send those questions to me. All questions are good question. In the event that you would like to leave a comment, I would love to hear from you. You may sent a question or leave a comment by clicking on this link: Contact Page.
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