Poison

A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married and went to
live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li
found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all.
Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many
of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li
constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Li-Li and her mother-in-law
never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even
worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to
bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and
unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and
dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it. She
went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She
told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so
that she could solve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Huang thought for a while, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help
you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell
you."

Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."

Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with
a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison
to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to
become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that
will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some
delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in
order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be
very careful to act very friendly towards her. Don't argue with her,
obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her
plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks went by, and months went by,
and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her
mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding
suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and
treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the
whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper
so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She
hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because
she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to
love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and
relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.
Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real
mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was
happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again.
She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from
killing my mother-in-law! She's changed into such a nice woman, and
I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of
the poison I gave her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to
worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you
were vitamins to improve her health. The real poison was in your
mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed
away by the love which you gave to her."

MORAL: have you ever realised that how you treat others is exactly
how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: 'The
person who loves others will also be loved in return.' God might be
trying to work in another person's life through you.

Also see Galatians 6:7. Everyone reaps what they sow.