Li-Li’s Mother In Law

A long time ago, a girl named Li-Li got married and went to live with
her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that
she couldn’t get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their
personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of
her mother-in-law’s habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Li-Li and her mother-in-law
never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even
worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to
bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and
unhappiness in the house was causing the poor husband great distess.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law’s bad temper and
dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.

Li-Li went to see her father’s good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.
She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison
so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. Huang
thought for awhile, and finally said, Li-Li, I will help you solve
your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.

Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."

Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with
a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can’t use a quick-acting
poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause
people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of
herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day
prepare some pork or chicken and put a little of these herbs in her
serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she
dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. Don’t
argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start
her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served
the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what
Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her
temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.
After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li
had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she
almost never got mad or upset. She hadn’t had an argument in six
months with her mother-in-law, who now seemed much kinder and easier
to get along with.

The mother-in-law’s attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to
love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and
relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find.
Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real
mother and daughter. Li-Li’s husband was very happy to see what was
happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She
said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing
my mother-in-law! She’s changed into such a nice woman, and I love her
like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I
gave her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there’s nothing to worry
about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins
to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your
attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love
which you gave to her."

Friends, have you ever realized that how you treat others is
exactly how they will treat you? In China it is said: The person who
loves others will also be loved.

Luke 6: 31 (Amplified) : And as you would like and desire that men do to you, do exactly so to them.