Horse Sense

The following is an abbreviation of a Hasidic tale:

A man went to see a rabbi to complain about the business he was loosing because of a competitor. The rabbi responded by saying, "Have you ever noticed that when a horse goes to the river to drink, it strikes its hoof against the bank? Do you know why it does this?" The man began to get angry because he travelled a long way to seek his advice. The rabbi explained, "When the horse bends its head close to the river to drink, it sees its reflection in the water, thinks it is another horse, it stomps its foot to scare away the other horse and keep the water all for itself." The man challenged the rabbi and wanted to know what the story had to do with his problem. The rabbi said, "You are the horse. You imagine that the river of God's bounty cannot sustain you both. So you come stomping your feet to scare away an imagined competitor." The man responded, "Imagined?" The rabbi replied, "God has set the wealth of each of us. You cannot subtract from what God has set aside. Run your business the best you can, and whatever comes to you is decreed in heaven. Your only true competition is your own reflection of self you see in the river."

How might this story affect our lives? I submit that it should encourage you to work without fear that man will take what is yours. Further, I think it would encourage you to trust G-d above for what you have had, have now, and will have. Fear is the opposite of faith. When fear knocks on the door, have faith answer, and no one will be there.