God's Way

In a certain town there lived a man of fierce and ungovernable

disposition, who in moments of anger used to beat his mother. One

day this parent, thus beaten, screamed out, "Oh, God, why do you not

strike dead this wicked man who beats his mother?"

The beating over, the son thrust his sickle through his belt and

went slowly off to the fields where he was engaged by a neighbour

in reaping buckwheat. The day was fine, and the sky beautifully

clear. Suddenly a dark fleck of cloud appeared in mid-heaven, and

a little later all the sky became black. Furious thunder followed,

and rain came on. The village people looked out toward the field,

where the flashes of lightning were specially noticeable. They seemed

to see there a man with lifted sickle trying to ward them off. When

the storm had cleared away, they went to see, and lo, they found the

man who had beaten his mother struck dead and riven to pieces.

God takes note of evil doers on this earth, and deals with them as

they deserve. How greatly should we fear!

Yi Ryuk.