I am a soft-hearted person and spiritual person. I trusted a Person and He stole my mobile by cheating and providing false transaction and as a result, I am losing financially of 1000$ and Lot of family issue in my life at the moment the pain and suffering of that cheating and the trust that i had is totally lost and heavy on my I am deeply suffering and I am crying. I made bad decision and with out proper checking i Said Yes and the Guy cheated on me the guy cheated spoke very nice
—sabarish, Australia
Dear Sabarish,
Jesus Christ gives us this counsel: “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” It is wonderful to have a “soft heart” but it is necessary to guide that heart with wisdom and common sense, lest you find yourself hurt.
There is, however, an instructive story from India: an enlightened yogi sat on the banks of the Ganges whereupon he observed a scorpion that had fallen into the water at the edge. The yogi reached down and picked up the scorpion to place him on the bank when, before he could put the scorpion down, the scorpion bit him. The yogi nonetheless without a sound or flinching put the scorpion gently down.
A passerby observed this little scene with some amusement and stopped to watch. Once again the scorpion, now on a branch over the water, fell into the water a second time. Again, the yogi reached down to rescue the scorpion and once again was bitten. Again, he placed the scorpion lovingly down. This was repeated two more times.
The observer now couldn’t help himself and approached the saint to ask him “Why do you keep rescuing the scorpion even though you get bitten?” The saint’s reply was, simply: “It is my nature to help and the nature of the scorpion to bite.”
Sabarish, until such time as you can accept with calm equanimity the hurts you receive in your efforts to help or trust others, you will have to develop the wisdom and common sense in your dealings with other people.
This incident came to you and is, in fact, a blessing and lesson to help you develop either discernment in your relations with others and/or non-attachment to the results of your own actions and giving. A hard lesson, I’m sure and one that will likely repeat itself insofar as our core lessons are not generally easily won. Be grateful, therefore, that this happened because it will help “steel” and hone your intuition and inner strength to trust in God alone.
Swami Kriyananda once picked up a hitchhiker who gave a hard luck story when asking for money. Swamiji gave him most of what he had with him and the man said “I promise I’ll pay you back because I don’t want to destroy your trust in people!” Swamiji replied: “It’s not people I trust but God.” (He thought to himself: whatever I give in God’s name will surely return to me a hundredfold. I have no interest or attachment to the money I gave this man nor yet in his promise to repay it.) In fact, for sure, the man never paid him back.
A saint lives in this world with the non-attachment gives heartily whatever is asked of him (or her). It is good to practice this but you must also be prepared to have your faith tested.
I just went today to the local Auto License office to renew tabs on a vehicle. The lady asked me for my identification and I said (in jest): “What, I don’t look honest?” She laughed and said the honest looking and honest sounding ones are the worst! It was my turn to laugh.
You have just found yourself the victim of a con man. You now know you have the karma to be “conned!” So “be wise” even if also “harmless” to others! Do what you can or must to reclaim your lost money (if anything can be done) but let it go and be thankful for an important life lesson. Smile! God loves you and in His love nothing and no one can harm you!
Joy!
Nayaswami Hriman
Seattle WA USA
www.Hrimananda.org
