Keeping promises is a reflection of who we are as individuals. Unfortunately, there are times when we don’t follow through on our commitments. Even if it seems minor to us, it can really hurt someone else and make them doubt the goodness in people.
This story shows why we should only make promises when we are completely certain we can keep them.
One day, a wealthy man noticed an old homeless man sitting in the chilly weather. Feeling compassion, he chose to go over to him.
One day, a wealthy man saw an old homeless man sitting outside in the freezing cold. Feeling sorry for him, he walked over and asked, “I see you don’t have a winter coat. Aren’t you cold?” The old man looked at him for a moment and replied, “I don’t have one, but I’m used to it.” The rich man, feeling sad about his answer, said, “Just wait! I’m going to my house to get you a warm coat.”
The old man was thrilled. He couldn’t believe someone wanted to help him.
Sadly, once the rich man got home, he completely forgot about the homeless man. It wasn’t until the next morning that he remembered his promise and hurried outside to find him. But it was too late. The old man was gone, and all that was left was a note that said, “When I didn’t have warm clothes, I learned to endure the cold. But when you promised to help me, I started to rely on your promise, and that took away my strength to fight the cold.”
The man had died, and that crushed the rich man’s world.
This tale serves as a powerful reminder that we must treat our promises as very important and never break them, as they can really matter to those who are in need.
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