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 guestroom. 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 angels 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 crying over their dead cow, their sole income, 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

that you think 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