Justice - When you get what you deserve 
Mercy - When you don't get what you deserve 
Grace - When you get what you don't deserve 
 
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the 
 home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused 
 to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead 
the angels were given a space in the cold basement. 
As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel 
saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger 
angel asked why, the older angel replied...Things aren't always 
what they seem. 
 
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very 
poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing 
 what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their 
bed where they could have a good night's rest. 
When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the 
farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had 
been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger 
angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could 
you have let this happen! The first man had everything, yet 
you helped him. The second family had little but was willing to 
share everything, and you let their cow die. 
 
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. 
When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed 
there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner 
was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good 
fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it. Then last night 
as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for 
his wife. I told him to take the cow instead." 
 
Things aren't always what they seem. 
Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't 
turn out the way we think they should. 
 
If you have faith in God, just trust that every outcome is 
always to your advantage. You might not realize it until 
much later.