THERE was once a king who ruled over a large and powerful nation, and who was very rich. But the burden of cares connected with his kingdom made him so unhappy that his riches gave him very little comfort. He had heard of an old man, famous for his wisdom and piety, who lived as a hermit, all alone by himself, in a cave on the borders of a forest some miles distant from the king's palace. The king went to see him one day, and found him in his cave.
"Holy man," said the king, "I have come to see you, and to ask if you can tell me how I may be happy."
Without making any reply, the wise old man led the king along a rough path till he brought him in front of a very high perpendicular rock, on the top of which an eagle had built her nest.
Pointing to it, he asked, "Do you know why the eagle builds her nest so high?"
"Certainly," said the king: "she does it in order to be safe from harm and danger."
"Then imitate that bird," said the wise old man. "Build your home in heaven; let your treasure and your heart be there, and then you will be safe and happy."
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Messages of the Love of God 4/13/1958