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  guest 
room.  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 
in tears.  Their only cow, whose milk had 
been their sole income, lay dead 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 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 time later...