A boy woke up one day wanting to know God.
As the boy walked down the street he saw an old man.
"Good day," the old man said. "You seem to be looking for something. May I help you?"
"I want to know God," he told the old man.
"Sit here for a while," the old man said, "and you shall get to know God."
The boy sat for a few moments when a woman walked up to him. "What are you doing?" the woman asked.
"I want to know God," he told the woman.
"I can teach you how to be a good person," she replied. "Come with me, and you will learn the ways of the righteous."
The boy thanked the old man and said, "I'm going to learn to be a righteous man."
The old man replied, "You will learn much from this woman."
The boy returned two years later to the same place where he met the old man.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the old man.
"I have practiced many disciplines," replied the boy. "I have recited the verses in the correct way. I have sinned less and less every day. I have apologized to God for the sins I committed."
"So did you get to know God?" asked the old man.
"I learned a great deal about being righteous," answered the boy, "but I didn't really get to know God. I want to know God."
"Sit here for a while," the old man said, "and you shall get to know God."
The boy sat for a few moments when two young men walked up to him. "What are you doing?" asked one of the young men.
"I want to know God," he told the young man.
"Come with us, and you can learn everything about God," the young man promised.
"You know God?" the boy asked.
"We have studied for years," the other replied, "and we know everything humans have ever written about God."
Again the boy thanked the old man and said, "I'm going to learn about God."
The old man replied, "You will learn much from these men."
The boy returned two years later to the same place where he met the old man.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the old man.
The boy replied, "I have learned many things about God. I have learned what we believe he wants for us. I have learned how we believe he created us. I have learned how we like to worship him. I have learned what many believe are the correct ways to pray to him, and I have memorized all the words humans have written about him."
"So did you get to know God?" asked the old man.
"I learned a great deal about what humans think of God," answered the boy, "but I didn't really get to know God. I want to know God."
"Sit here for a while," the old man said, "and you shall get to know God."
The boy sat for a few moments when a young girl walked up to him.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I want to know God," he told the young girl.
"My friends and I are going to build houses for the homeless," she replied. "Come with us, and you will learn to give selflessly and completely of yourself."
Again the boy thanked the old man and said, "I'm going to learn to give completely of myself and be selfless."
The old man replied, "You will learn much from this girl."
The boy returned two years later to the same place where he met the old man.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the old man.
"I built houses for those who had no place to live," replied the boy. "I helped people learn to take care of their needs for shelter and warmth. I helped provide shelter for thousands of people."
"So did you get to know God?" asked the old man.
"I learned a great deal about building houses and giving to others," answered the boy, "but I didn't really get to know God. I want to know God."
"Sit here for a while," the old man said, "and you shall get to know God."
The boy sat for a few moments when a group of men walked up to him. "What are you doing?" one of the men asked.
"I want to know God," the boy told the man.
"We are going to heal the sick," he replied. "Come with us, and you will learn to take care of the needy."
Once again the boy thanked the old man and said, "I'm going to learn to heal the sick."
The old man replied, "You will learn much from these men."
The boy returned two years later to the same place where he met the old man.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the old man.
"I helped cure people who were sick with disease," replied the boy. "I helped people learn to eat properly to nourish themselves and prevent illness. I taught them to be healthy and live long. The number of deaths in the village I worked in has gone down by hundreds every year I have been there."
"So did you get to know God?" asked the old man.
"I learned a great deal about healing disease," answered the boy, "but I didn't really get to know God. I want to know God."
"Sit here for a while," the old man said, "and you shall get to know God."
The boy sat for a few moments when a group of women walked up to him. "What are you doing?" one of the women asked.
"I want to know God," he told the woman.
"We are going to feed the hungry," she replied. "Come with us, and you will learn to take care of the poor."
The boy paused for a moment and thanked the woman by saying, "Thank you for the offer. I wish you well in your journey, but I do not wish to take care of the poor. My goal is to know God."
The women looked at him curiously. The old man said nothing and smiled.
The boy grew still for a while and did nothing.
After a while, he noticed a butterfly and wondered how such a delicate creature could fly.
He felt a sense of awe over such a miraculous creation.
Then he noticed the clouds in the sky and was amazed by the thought that these floating islands held water in them, yet they did not fall.
He felt a sense of wonder over such an ingenious design.
Next he saw a group of ants working together, and he marveled at their cooperation and single-mindedness of purpose.
He felt a sense of astonishment over such beautiful harmony.
Finally, he saw a light in the eyes of the old man, and he could not believe the amount of love he saw in the old man's eyes.
He immediately felt a sense of unity with everyone and everything.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the old man.
"Yes, I did," replied the young boy. "I have now found what I first sought so many years ago."
"It seemed to take a bit longer than you intended," observed the old man as he smiled.
"Perhaps," said the boy. "But it took just as long as I really wanted it to take."
"Indeed," said the old man. "I know that is true. How do you know that is true?"
The boy began, "When I started out I was more interested in feeling righteous than I was in knowing God. I got what I wanted, and many people observed how righteous I was."
"I see," said the old man.
"Then I was more interested in learning information about God and understanding what humans believe about God," continued the boy. "I learned and memorized many of humankind's ideas about God, and I proved my intelligence."
"This is true," replied the old man.
"Then I wanted to prove I was a kind person," said the boy. "I gave my life to serving those without homes and I called them 'needy' even though I needed them to feel good about myself just as much as they needed me to help them get shelter."
"Quite insightful," remarked the old man.
"Then I had a need to prove I was powerful," continued the boy. "I learned how to postpone death and felt god-like in the process, though I never felt I knew God."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," agreed the old man.
"So now what do you want?"
"I want to be with God," the boy replied. "I think I will stay here."
As the boy said this, he looked around and noticed that all the other people around him had the same loving look he saw in the old man's eyes. They always had it. It was just not easy for him to see before.
"You will be with me even if I leave this place, won't you?" the boy asked the old man.
"I always have been with you," said the old man, "And I always will." As he said this, the young boy saw all the travelers he had met along his journey, and they all had the same loving look in their eyes.
"I guess I only saw you and got to know you when I truly wanted to," the boy concluded.
"Yes," the old man replied. "And you will always see me and know me whenever you wish."
"Thank you," the boy said. "I now know what to do with my life."
"And what is that?" asked the old man.
"Live with you in my heart always," he replied.
"What about all the books, teachings, and good deeds you have learned and lived?" asked the old man.
"They are important, but they are not truly necessary," the boy replied. "As long as I keep you first in my heart always I will know how to live."
"And what about the homeless people, hungry people and sick people?" asked the old man. "Don't they need you?"
"They don't really need me, though it felt great to think they did," the boy answered. "All they really need is to know God. I know they are in good hands."
"Do they even need to know God?" asked the old man.
"I don't think so," the boy replied. "I imagine you will be there for them regardless what they know."
"You know me well," the old man replied. "So now what do you intend to do with your life?"
"At some point, I think I will focus on helping those who look like they could use help, but for now I think I will just focus on knowing you," the boy answered with a smile. "I'm pretty sure the rest of the details will come to me when I need to know them."
"Indeed they will," replied the old man.
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