Materialism

  An old rabbinic tale records the concern of a man of God for a young friend who was becoming worldly and materialistic.

  The rabbi invited him for his study and led him to the window.

  “What do you see?” he asked.

  There was playground next to the house. “I see children playing.”

  Then the rabbi took a little hand mirror out of his pocket and held it before the visitor’s face. “Tell me what you see now?”

  “I see myself,” he said, wondering what was going on.

  “Isn’t strange,” the rabbi asked, “that when a little silver gets between yourself and others, you see only yourself?”

John W. Rilling

Sins

     A clergyman had preached on the subject of Jacob’s ladder, and his son was much impressed. A few days later he told his father that he had dreamed about the discourse.

     “And what did you see my son?”

     “I dreamt,” replied the boy, “that I saw a ladder reaching up into the clouds. At the foot of the ladder were many pieces of chalk, and no one was allowed to ascend without taking a piece for the purpose of placing a mark on each rung for each sin committed.”

    “Very interesting, my boy, and what else?”

    “Well, dad. I thought I would go up, but I hadn’t got very far when I heard someone coming down.”

    “Yes,” said the father, “and who was that?”

    “You, dad,” replied the boy.

    “I? Whatever was I coming down for?”

    “More chalk.”