Every morning, a businessman passed the same beggar on his way to work.The beggar sat by the roadside, quietly asking for help.Whenever the businessman saw him, he would give him some money.And every time, the beggar would smile and say,“Thank you, sir. God bless you.”This continued for many months.But one morning, something unusual happened.Instead of simply saying thank you, the beggar handed the businessman a small gift wrapped in a box.The businessman was surprised.
“A gift? From you?”“Yes, sir,” the beggar replied.The businessman smiled, collected it, thanked him, and continued to work.Later that evening, he opened the box.Inside was a small placard.Written on it were four simple words:“WHAT IF IT WAS YOU?
”The businessman stared at the words.“What kind of gift is this?” he wondered.He had expected something more valuable.Still, because he respected the beggar and appreciated his gesture, he decided to hang the little placard beside his bed.He had no idea that those four words would soon save his life.Unknown to him, his wife had been secretly planning to kill him so she could inherit his wealth.
That night, she put a dangerous substance into his tea.The businessman drank it.Within minutes, he collapsed.His wife immediately called their family doctor.But there was something the businessman didn’t know.The doctor was already part of the plan.His wife had secretly arranged with him to make the man’s death look natural.
The doctor was supposed to confirm that he had died from heart failure and help cover up the crime.When the doctor arrived, the businessman was unconscious.The doctor walked toward the bed.He was about to carry out the terrible plan when something caught his attention.He looked toward the bedside.There it was.
The little placard.Four words:“WHAT IF IT WAS YOU?”The doctor froze.He stared at the words.Then he began thinking.“What if it was me lying on this bed?”“What if someone had planned to kill me?”“What if I had a family waiting for me at home?”“Would I want a doctor to do this to me?”His conscience began fighting against him.He could no longer go through with it.Instead, he immediately gave the businessman the appropriate emergency treatment and administered an antidote.After some time, the businessman began to recover.
The doctor was overwhelmed with guilt.He could no longer keep the secret.He told the businessman everything.“Your wife planned to kill you,” he confessed. “She asked me to help make it look like natural death. I came here intending to do it.
”The businessman was shocked.Then the doctor pointed toward the bedside.“But when I saw those words—‘What if it was you?’—I began thinking about my own life. I realized that if I did this to you, I would never be able to forgive myself.”The businessman was devastated.He ended his marriage and separated from the woman who had planned his death.
But he couldn’t forget the person who had unknowingly saved his life.The next morning, he returned to the roadside.He found the beggar sitting in his usual place.The businessman walked toward him and hugged him.“You saved my life.”The beggar looked confused.“Me? How?”The businessman showed him the placard.“Those words saved me.
”The beggar smiled innocently.“I didn’t know anything about what was happening in your home. I simply wanted to give you something that would remind you to think about other people’s lives.”The businessman was deeply moved.He realized that sometimes, the smallest gift can carry the greatest message.He offered the beggar a job in his company and helped him rebuild his life.
The two eventually became good friends.And every time the businessman saw the little placard beside his bed, he remembered the lesson:Before you hurt someone, ask yourself, “WHAT IF IT WAS YOU?”MORAL OF THE STORYBefore you make a decision that could hurt another person, put yourself in their position. Ask yourself how you would feel if the same thing were done to you.
Empathy can stop anger from becoming revenge, power from becoming oppression, and temptation from becoming destruction. Sometimes, we don’t need a long lecture to change our hearts; a simple question can be enough: What if it was you?
