Even a small deed - is big

A man was once hired to paint a boat. As he was painting, he noticed a leak at the bottom of the boat and decided to fix it. When the painting was done, he collected his pay and went on his way.

The following day the owner of the boat came back to the painter with a large check. "Here", he said, "This is for fixing the leak".

"That was so small a thing", he replied. "Surely you are not paying me this huge amount for so small a thing?"

"My dear friend", the owner explained, "When I asked you to paint the boat I had forgotten to tell to you about the leak. When the boat was dry, my children took it fishing. I was frantic for I remembered the leak! Imagine my relief and happiness when I saw them coming back safely. I then saw that you had on your own repaired the leak. You have saved the lives of my children! I haven't enough money to repay you for your 'small' , as you call it, good deed...”

Very often, by doing what seems to us a "small" good deed we never know what wonderful thing we have really done. And conversely, in committing what seems to us a "small" transgression, we are causing a terrible catastrophe. As in the following story:

A wealthy merchant once bought a masterpiece of a chandelier for his home, it was made of crystal and precious stones. A real fortune.

To hang this massive beautiful chandelier a hole was drilled in the ceiling, through which a rope was run and fastened to a beam in the attic.

One day a beggar came for old clothes. He was told to go up to the attic, where their old clothes were stored. He went up, collected a bundle of clothes, then searched for a piece of string with which to tie it. He saw a rope wound around a nail and so with his pocketknife he cut the rope.

Crash! There was a terrific smash. The family then rushed to the attic crying: "You idiot! Look what you have done! You have ruined us!"

The poor beggar could not understand. "What do you mean, ruined you? All I did was to take a small piece of rope. Surely this did not ruin you?"

"Yes, all you did was take a small piece of rope. But it so happened that my precious chandelier hung by it. Now you have broken it beyond repair!

Each deed, no matter how seemingly small, may create or destroy worlds.