Why Help People?

The Children of Israel once said to Moses, “O Moses, we want to invite our Lord to a meal. Speak to God so that He may accept our invitation!” Moses angrily replied, “Don’t you know that God is beyond the need for food?” But when Moses ascended Mount Sinai, God said to him, “Why did you not inform me of the invitation? My servants have invited me; tell them I shall come to their feast on Friday evening.”

Moses told the people, and everyone began making great preparations for days. On Friday evening, an old man arrived, weary from a long journey. “I am so hungry,” he said to Moses. “Please give me something to eat.” Moses said, “Be patient. The Lord of all Worlds is coming. Take this jug and fetch some water. You can also help serve.” The old man brought water and again asked for food, but no one would feed him before the Lord arrived. It got later and later, and finally, everyone began criticizing Moses for misleading them.

Moses climbed Mount Sinai and said, “My Lord, I have been put to shame before everyone because You did not come as You promised You would.” God replied, “I did come. I actually approached you yourself, but when I told you I was hungry, you sent Me to fetch water. I asked again but was sent away to serve. Neither you nor your people were able to welcome me with honor.”

“My Lord, an old man came and asked me for food. But he was a mere mortal.”

“I was together with that servant of Mine. To have honored him would have been to honor Me. To have served him would have been to serve Me. All the heavens are too small to contain Me, but not the hearts of My servants. I neither eat nor drink, yet to honor my servant is to honor Me. To care for them is to care for me.”

(Excerpt from Essential Sufism; Edited by James Fadiman & Robert Frager. Published by HarperSanFrancisco, 1997)

Isn't is so beautiful?