This is a story about a crippled fox.

 

I read this on the internet a long time ago and wanted to share it with you.
I don’t know where it comes from or who to credit, but I wish I did.

There was once a good man who wanted to know the proper way to live his life.
Every day he searched for signs from the universe, or God, to show him a path.

One day he saw a crippled fox while walking through the trees and wondered how the fox was able to eat since it would have been too slow to hunt.

 Suddenly a tiger appeared and lay down next to the fox. The tiger had a large rabbit in its mouth and ate until it was full. After finishing his meal, the tiger got up and left the remaining portion behind for the fox.
 

Suddenly the man felt he knew what God was telling him to do. “Surely, if God helps the cripple fox, he will help me too," he thought.

And so the man travelled back to his hut and lay down waiting for God to deliver him the food and water he needed.

But nothing arrived. The determined man’s faith did not falter even as he lay nearly starved to death. As the man lay there becoming weaker by the moment an angel appeared.

The angel looked at the man quizzically and asked:

 "Why did you decide to imitate the crippled fox and not the tiger? You have been given health and gifts and talents to make the world a better place. Why do you not use them to help the cripple and those in need? Why instead did you choose to imitate the cripple fox?”

 The man, seeing the error of his ways cried. He got out of bed and began a life following the example of the tiger.

So often we forget all that we have been given. We forget that our purpose is not to be served, but to serve others.

There are so many ways to serve. Some help others by becoming doctors. Others provide housing. Some grow food. Many teach. Others make money and surplus and use their wealth to purchase items needed.

There is no limit to the ways one can imitate the tiger.


So which are you? Are you imitating the tiger or the crippled fox?

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