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For those who think I've been too preachy in this chapter, I want
to share with you a fable told by Elie Wiesel. It takes place in Sodom
and Gomorrah--the cities eventually destroyed by God because sin
was rampant. In fact, the Bible says less than 10 good people could be
found there among thousands. Four of the good people were
Abraham's son, Lot, his wife, and their two daughters. You will
remember the story says they were saved by angels... but contrary to
God's instructions, Lot's wife looked back and, consequently, was
turned into salt. Another good person in Sodom was an old preacher
who had come to the cities as a young man fifty years before and was
appalled by the greed and gluttony all around him. The major interests
of the people were money, partying, and sex. They had forgotten the
Golden Rule; they did whatever benefited and pleased them. When
someone was ill in the street, they looked the other way. They were
indifferent to the poor and homeless among them. They only wanted
more and more for themselves. The young man was so disturbed that
he started to preach on the streets about caring for others. But no one
paid attention to him. This went on for years; he became an excellent
speaker and was known as "the preacher." He spoke of the joys of
loving everyone and helping the poor. He helped the homeless. He
warned of God's wrath. No matter how hard he tried to get them to
change, the people of these two cities wouldn't listen. Instead, they
thought he was weird. When he was an old man and very tired, a
young boy listened to a part of one of his sermons and then shouted,
"Why do you preach so much old man? Don't you know people won't
change?" The old man said, "Oh, by now, I know that." "So why do
you keep on preaching?" asked the boy. "So they won't change me,"
said the old man.
If you really love another properly, there must be sacrifice.
-Mother Teresa
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from
themselves.
-Sir James M. Barrie
Bibliography
References cited in this chapter are listed in the Bibliography (see
link on the book title page). Please note that references are on pages
according to the first letter of the senior author's last name (see
alphabetical links at the bottom of the main Bibliography page).
