The Poor Rich Man

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21

A certain Muslim lived in a cottage on a hill. Every week he rode his camel to a little stream. And every week as the camel stopped to drink, it nosed up the pebbles in order to make a deeper place for drinking. Again and again, the Muslim picked up the bright stones the animal uncovered and took them home with him.

One day a traveler told the Muslim of the easy comfort and riches that certain men in the city enjoyed; the traveler filled the Muslim’s eyes and heart with discontent. So he sold his cottage and wandered the earth looking for money. Finally he died in rags and poverty, and was buried. The man who bought the cottage found the stones and preserved them.

One day a merchant came to his home and discovered that these well-preserved stones were diamonds. The owner of the diamonds immediately became a millionaire. The first man had great wealth but, being ignorant of it, sold it and traveled the world looking for it. The second man simply made use of what he had. All people have eternal life at their disposal. Some respond to this treasure like the first man, some like the second.