Three beggars approached a millionaire. The first said: ‘Please give me five rupees.’ The millionaire said: ‘What! You demand like I owe you! Take these two rupees and go,’ he said.
The next beggar said: ‘I have not taken a square meal for ten days. Please help me.’ ‘How much do you want?’ asked the millionaire. ‘Whatever you give me,’ replied the beggar. ‘Take this ten rupee note. You can have food for three days.’
The third beggar said: ‘I have heard about your noble qualities and have come to see you. Men like you are the salt of the earth.’ ‘Please sit down,’ said the millionaire. ‘Have some food,’ he said. ‘Now what can I do for you?’ ‘I merely came to meet such a noble personage as you,’ replied the beggar. ‘You have given me this rich food. What more do I need?’ The millionaire, struck by the beggar's spirit, begged him to remain, built a house for him in his own compound and looked after him for the rest of his life.
People approach God with three different prayers. There is the greedy man who only demands worldly enjoyment. God grants him part of his desires (which soon go away, like the two rupees of the first beggar).
The second prays for relief from the sufferings of the world, but is better than the first as he is ready to abide by God’s Will. To him God grants worldly relief and happiness in Paradise.
The third praises God, desiring nothing but to worship Him. God is pleased with his self-surrender. He makes him eat the food of supreme devotion to Himself, and makes him live in the house of surrender of his desires to the Will of God. He gets Paradise in this world and the next.
