This eternal story is based upon a poem by Rabindranath Tagore and conveys a treasured lesson in the art of giving and the magic that this simple act brings to our lives.

The Beggar and the King

A beggar sat on the side of a road with his bowl in front of him. He knew the ways of the world: it was, in fact, much easier to give when people could see something was already in it. Therefore, he put a few grains and coins into it, hoping others would add more to the bowl.

One day, a king chanced upon him. To the beggar’s surprise, the monarch came near him and said, “I want something from you.” The beggar was surprised. All his lifetime, he had received given. Yet, here was the king wanting to receive from him. Surprised for a moment, he dipped into his bowl and grudgingly gave the king one grain of rice.

The king took the grain, thanked him, and went his way.

That day, more people than ever before gave to the beggar. Yet, as he sat alone at the end of the day, his mind kept straying back to the single grain he had given away. Why was he so stingy? Had he been stupid to give it away?

He then came home and turned his bag upside down in front of his wife, and to his astonishment, there was a grain of gold. Then he knew that the grain he had given to the king had come back to him, changed into gold. Even the minutest act of his giving had been repaid in a manner which he could never have imagined. The beggar realised that.

Lesson to the Present World

This story is more applicable today in our fast-moving modern world. So often, humankind gets caught up in the race for wealth and success, for material possessions. We cling to what we have and live in fear that if we give even a little, we will not have enough left for ourselves. But the reality is that giving opens our lives up in ways that are far more valuable than any material gain.

Nowadays, there are endless opportunities for giving, not necessarily in money or material things, but in shared acts of kindness, time, compassion, and understanding. This may be through helping a neighbour, mentoring a colleague, sharing knowledge, or lending a willing ear. Every small act of giving has the potential to create ripples of positivity.

A Biblical Perspective on Giving

The Bible also seals the idea in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This verse echoed within our story’s heart: giving is far more blessing than just receiving. It justifies that when we open our hearts and give whatever we have, we get something much more dear: growth by knowing we have touched a life.

The Golden Grain Within Us

The beggar’s golden grain metaphorically presents what occurs with us when giving to others, not literally but to our hearts, that it is not the size but the spirit with which we give forth that is essential in providing. And in return, every time we give out a piece of ourselves, we get back something so much more valuable: the warmth of human contact, the happiness of knowing that we’ve made a difference, and the realisation that we have within us the ability to bring abundance into our lives and the lives of people around us.

May this story, the wisdom in Tagore’s poem, and most importantly, the Bible stay with us as we go through these snapshots of life so bland in nature? Let us keep on giving as much as we keep receiving. One never knows when that minute grain you gave out became a piece of gold in someone’s hand and shone in their heart.