Theme: Sow and reap

I don't want to go to hell

Rodrigo was a very naughty boy. He liked mess, he respected no one. He got into a fight for whatever reason. His colleagues even avoided being around him, because it was easy to get into trouble. One day, Rodrigo made fun of Marina, a girl of his class. She was so angry, she cried out:

- Rodrigo, you´re moron! You're a terrible person, you know? When you die, for sure, you will go straight to hell!

The boy, mocking, laughed without caring.

But Marina's words got him. Deep down, he knew his behavior wasn't good.

That thought of going to hell was growing inside Rodrigo and bothering him so much that he got afraid. He started sleeping badly, having nightmares and waking up at night, scared. He was afraid of dying, because he thought that what awaited him would not be good.

His mother noticed his son's situation and called him to talk.

Rodrigo ended up telling what had happened and said crying:

- I don't want to go to hell, mom!

The mother then hugged her son and lovingly explained:

- Don't be like that, dear. I will tell you something: you are not going to hell. Do you know why? Because hell doesn't exist!

- Are you sure, Mom? Everyone has heard of hell - said Rodrigo, still unsure.

- Son, it is that some religions have the belief that we will be judged after this life: if we are bad, we will be condemned to go to hell, or we will have eternal salvation and we will go to heaven if we are good. But, in the understanding of our spiritist religion, it is not so. Even because, we believe that we have many lives here on Earth, through reincarnations. How could we have a sentence of eternal duration, if we will be born again later?

Rodrigo's mother also told him the Parable of the Lost Sheep, taught by Jesus, in which a sheep was lost from the flock and the shepherd looked for it until he found it and brought it back.

- Jesus said: “no sheep in the flock that my Father has entrusted to me will be lost”. With the help of Jesus, we will all find peace and happiness one day, son. This is paradise for us and we will all achieve it one day.

- Good, Mom! What a relief! - and, changing from sad to angry, Rodrigo continued: - That girl will see! She will learn not to frighten others!

- Don't talk like that, Rodrigo - scolded his mother - Even if there is no place of eternal punishment after death, there is still suffering for those who do wrong. Hell is the state of disturbance that people are in, when, through our free will, we make choices contrary to the laws of God. If you plant thorns, you get hurt and suffer when you go to harvest them. As long as you choose to do things that you know are not right, what you will get out of life are bad things too. Think about it, son!

After talking to his mother, Rodrigo realized the responsibility he had for his actions and what he was attracting to himself.

The next day, Rodrigo went to school. He was used to having bad attitudes, but he was willing to change and gradually he was transformed. When he found Marina, he just smiled and said "hi".

It took some time, but Rodrigo learned to respect people. Instead of being feared and frowned upon by everyone, he managed to make some friends and became liked by many people.

His mother was very happy to see him improving. And do you know who else was happy? Rodrigo himself!

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com