The Day of Judgement

God will judge everybody’s actions on His touchstone in the next world. On that day, that which they were proud of in this world will only cause disgrace and humiliation when they come before God.

In the Bangalore edition of The Indian Express dated September 9, 1983, there was a headline: ‘All that Glitters Is Not Gold’.

The story was about Miss Sybil D’Silva, who lived on Artillery Road, Bangalore. She was visited in her home by a woman aged about 35, holding a child of about six months in her arms. She told Miss D’Silva that her husband was seriously ill and that she needed 5000 rupees urgently for his treatment. ‘‘I am not begging from you,” she said, taking a golden necklace out of her pocket. “All I want to do is sell this golden necklace. However, dear to me, my husband’s health is dearer. It would sell for 10,000 rupees in the market. However, because I need the money, I will give it to you for just 5000.”

Miss D’Silva said she was not interested, but the woman kept pleading the desperateness of her case. Eventually, she persuaded Miss D’Silva to give her the money and buy the necklace.

The next day Miss D’Silva took the necklace to a goldsmith on Bangalore’s Commercial Street. He tested it on his touchstone. After examination, its reality came to light. Telling her story to the Bangalore police, Miss D’Silva said: “He told me it was brass.”

So, will it be in the next world? In this world, everyone is delighted with his deeds; everyone thinks of what he has done as gold. However, gold is only accurate when shown to be such on the goldsmith’s touchstone. So, God will judge everybody’s actions on His touchstone in the next world.

The value of gold will only be attached to those actions proven to be made of gold when put on God’s touchstone. If one’s “golden actions” are brass, they will only mean disgrace and doom for him. People attach so much value to actions that they are never ready to forsake them; they will seek to be rid of these same actions. They will disown that which was dearest to them in this world. However, on that day, there will be no disownment. That which they were proud of in this world will cause them only disgrace and humiliation when they come before God.