There lived one man and his life was not very good, it was confusing. I decided to come to my senses, do good deeds, and save my soul. I did them and did them, but didn’t notice any particular change for the better in myself. One day he was walking down the street and saw that an old woman’s coat button had broken off and fallen to the ground. He saw it and thought: “What’s wrong! She still has enough buttons. Don't lift it! What nonsense!” But still, groaning, he picked up the button, caught up with the old woman, gave her the button and forgot about it. Then he died and sees scales: on the left - his evil lies, pulling him down, and on the right - there is nothing, empty! And evil overwhelms! “Eh,” the man says to himself. “No luck here either!” He looked and the angels put down a button... And the cup of good deeds outweighed. “Did this one button really stop all my evil deeds? - The man was surprised. “How many good deeds I have done, but they are not visible!” And he heard the angel say to him: “Because you were proud of your good deeds, they disappeared! But it was precisely this button that you forgot about that was enough to save you from death!” Source: Simeon of Athos Ascent to Heaven
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru