What do you think?
Rate this book
Where Love Is, There God Is Also
Martin is an old cobbler with a good trade, but has had a hard life. His soul is now embittered against God. When he hears a mysterious voice calling him in the middle of the night, his soul seems to lighten and awake to answer the call.
Audiobook
First published April 10, 1885
150 people are currently reading
2031 people want to read
About the author
Leo Tolstoy
7,963 books28.5k followersLev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (Russian: Лев Николаевич Толстой; most appropriately used Liev Tolstoy; commonly Leo Tolstoy in Anglophone countries) was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. Tolstoy is equally known for his complicated and paradoxical persona and for his extreme moralistic and ascetic views, which he adopted after a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he also became noted as a moral thinker and social reformer.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
His literal interpretation of the ethical teachings of Jesus, centering on the Sermon on the Mount, caused him in later life to become a fervent Christian anarchist and anarcho-pacifist. His ideas on nonviolent resistance, expressed in such works as The Kingdom of God Is Within You, were to have a profound impact on such pivotal twentieth-century figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
December 5, 2022
Very few people know that Tolstoy wrote short stories with a Christian theme. In this thin volume, 3 of those stories are shared.
Where Love Is, There God is Also
This is a story about a humble shoemaker. He believes with childlike faith. in three encounters with various people in need, he shows the Gospel in action. He then realizes he has seen God in each of them through his caring for them.
The Three Hermits
A bishop learns a very important lesson from three hermits who live on an otherwise deserted island.
When the bishop tries to teach them the proper way to pray, he learns that prayer is from the heart and should not be based on mere ritual.
What Men Live By
This tale examines what people need in order to live. One of God's angels is banished to earth until he has learned three lessons: what is IN men, what is not given to men, and what men live by.
I first read this book in Jan of 2008 after I received it for Christmas. I am so glad that my group, Catholic Thought, chose to read if for this Christmas. It gave me the opportunity to read it again and have its lessons re-established.
Reread Dec 25, 2020. Still just as good.
5 stars
Where Love Is, There God is Also
This is a story about a humble shoemaker. He believes with childlike faith. in three encounters with various people in need, he shows the Gospel in action. He then realizes he has seen God in each of them through his caring for them.
The Three Hermits
A bishop learns a very important lesson from three hermits who live on an otherwise deserted island.
When the bishop tries to teach them the proper way to pray, he learns that prayer is from the heart and should not be based on mere ritual.
What Men Live By
This tale examines what people need in order to live. One of God's angels is banished to earth until he has learned three lessons: what is IN men, what is not given to men, and what men live by.
I first read this book in Jan of 2008 after I received it for Christmas. I am so glad that my group, Catholic Thought, chose to read if for this Christmas. It gave me the opportunity to read it again and have its lessons re-established.
Reread Dec 25, 2020. Still just as good.
5 stars
December 26, 2019
It is fitting on Christmas Day to read a story about love. After all, love came down at Christmas.
Martuin Avdyeitch is a humble shoemaker, a good man, whose Job-like suffering has caused him to wish he is dead. It is hard to keep the faith when life gets out of control and God seems absent.
An encounter with an old man encouraged him to read the New Testament, and his spiritual perspective starts to shift. Tolstoy said, ‘And the more he read, the more he understood, and the brighter and happier it grew in his heart.’ Martuin has a remarkably teachable soul - ‘And he began to measure his life by these words.’
Martuin lives in a little basement room with only one window from which he has the habit of looking out onto the street. Even though all he could see are the feet of the passer-bys, he recognizes the people by their boots. One day, God comes visiting in the most unexpected ways on that familiar street and Martuin learns that He is not absent after all.
What a heartwarming story! I never knew Tolstoy wrote stories with a spiritual theme. I am glad to have read one.
Martuin Avdyeitch is a humble shoemaker, a good man, whose Job-like suffering has caused him to wish he is dead. It is hard to keep the faith when life gets out of control and God seems absent.
An encounter with an old man encouraged him to read the New Testament, and his spiritual perspective starts to shift. Tolstoy said, ‘And the more he read, the more he understood, and the brighter and happier it grew in his heart.’ Martuin has a remarkably teachable soul - ‘And he began to measure his life by these words.’
Martuin lives in a little basement room with only one window from which he has the habit of looking out onto the street. Even though all he could see are the feet of the passer-bys, he recognizes the people by their boots. One day, God comes visiting in the most unexpected ways on that familiar street and Martuin learns that He is not absent after all.
What a heartwarming story! I never knew Tolstoy wrote stories with a spiritual theme. I am glad to have read one.
May 27, 2018
Martin era um velho e bondoso sapateiro, adorado por todos mas que esconde dentro de si uma enorme ferida ,que o faz ser um homem triste e desanimado de viver. Ele não saia de casa, ele conhecia a todos os moradores de sua vila pelas botas que eles usavam a qual ela via pela pequena janela do seu estabelecimento.Há muito tempo atrás sua esposa tinha morrido, tendo deixado um bebê recém nascido para ele cuidar. Martin cuidou de seu filho com todo o amor e carinho , mas Este também veio a falecer na idade que iria começar a ajudar o seu papai. Martin desesperado , começou a culpar a Deus por essas tragédias na sua vida, desejando que a morte também o levasse. Um dia porém , um amigo lhe presenteia com uma bíblia,onde ele começa a ler as histórias e parábolas do livro de Lucas . A Partir daí sua mentalidade começa a mudar, e a entender os propósitos de Deus.
Uma das mais lindas histórias que já li.
Uma das mais lindas histórias que já li.
January 14, 2014
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
There is an old parable often told and I will give you the most abridged summary of it I can: "A man is trapped on his house during a flood and the water is rising. He ask God to help him and after numerous attempts by people to rescue him by boat and helicopter fail (because he is assured God will come and rescue him) he dies. He goes to heaven and ask why God did not come down and save him and God says, "I sent you boats AND a helicopter, what did you think that was?"
Tolstoy is not satisfied that the "flood parable" is efficient enough to convey that point or any substantial one so he writes his own take on looking for God.
We meet Martin, a shoe repairman, who has had a lot of difficulty in his life, and after a crisis of faith, wants to rededicate himself to God on a more basic level. He falls asleep one evening while reading the New Testament and hears a voice he takes to be Christ saying he will visit Martin tomorrow. Martin becomes anxious as he has no idea whether the voice was real or not, but as the day starts he makes preparations for a visitor...
I will stop there as that is the point where Tolstoy starts to work his magic.
I first heard about this story as a kid when a Christmas themed cartoon that adapted this story would show on television. Though this story is not a Christmas story, it contains a very universal message of the godliness of love and charity, which is why Tolstoy named it after the Christan hymn of the same name. Though I have not read any of his novels, Tolstoy is a master of short stories from what I have read.
There is an old parable often told and I will give you the most abridged summary of it I can: "A man is trapped on his house during a flood and the water is rising. He ask God to help him and after numerous attempts by people to rescue him by boat and helicopter fail (because he is assured God will come and rescue him) he dies. He goes to heaven and ask why God did not come down and save him and God says, "I sent you boats AND a helicopter, what did you think that was?"
Tolstoy is not satisfied that the "flood parable" is efficient enough to convey that point or any substantial one so he writes his own take on looking for God.
We meet Martin, a shoe repairman, who has had a lot of difficulty in his life, and after a crisis of faith, wants to rededicate himself to God on a more basic level. He falls asleep one evening while reading the New Testament and hears a voice he takes to be Christ saying he will visit Martin tomorrow. Martin becomes anxious as he has no idea whether the voice was real or not, but as the day starts he makes preparations for a visitor...
I will stop there as that is the point where Tolstoy starts to work his magic.
I first heard about this story as a kid when a Christmas themed cartoon that adapted this story would show on television. Though this story is not a Christmas story, it contains a very universal message of the godliness of love and charity, which is why Tolstoy named it after the Christan hymn of the same name. Though I have not read any of his novels, Tolstoy is a master of short stories from what I have read.
December 18, 2019
A simple but charming story in the mode of a folk tale about a man who pulls himself out of despair by finding Christ, has a discernment he will meet Christ, and finally an epiphany that he has met Christ.
July 24, 2025
Lev Tostloyun “Parlaq imzalar” nəşriyyatında işıq üzü görən “Sevgi haradadırsa, tanrı oradadır” hekayələr toplusuna müəllifin aşağıdakı hekayələri daxildir:
1.
“Sevgi haradadırsa, tanrı oradadır”, “Где любовь, там и Бог”
Ailəsini itirən, bu itkilərinə görə Allaha üsyan edən çəkməci bir gün İncili oxuyur və ertəsi gün evinə sığınan Allah qonaqlarında Xilaskarı görür.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Bütün sevdiklərini itirsən belə bu dünyada sevginə möhtac minlərlə insan var.
—————————————————————————
2.
"Yuxuda nə gördüm", “Что я видел во сне”
Knyazın sevimli qızı qoşulub qaçdığı isveçli tələbədən hamilə qalır. Bir müddət sonra itkin qızının izinə düşən ata onu bağışlaya biləcəkmi?
Çıxardığım nəticə: İctimai qınağa məhəl qoymadan sevdiklərinə rəhm etmək, bu mərhətin hesabına özünlə tanış olmaq yalnız yuxularda mümkündür.
—————————————————————————
3.
"Alyoşa qorşok", “Алеша Горшок”
Kasıb ailənin oğlu Alyoşa böyük qardaşı əsgərliyə yollandıqdan sonra şəhərə köçür, onun işlədiyi evdə xidmət etməyə başlayır. Üzüyola oğlan olan Alyoşa evin aşpazı ilə eşq yaşağa başlayır. Lakin hər kəs şəxsi mənafeyindən dolayı bu münasibətə qarşıdır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: kasıba sevmək də olmaz.
—————————————————————————
4.
"Korney Vasilyev", “Корней Васильев”
Şəhərdən kəndə qayıdan iş adamı Korneyə arabaçısı xoşagəlməz xəbər verir: arvadı yeni xidmətçisi ilə eşq yaşayır. Adı ləkələndiyi (özü də bir arabaçı tərəfindən) üçün arvadını şil-küt edib, qızını şikəst buraxır və evi tərk edir. Qoca vaxtında geri qayıdır, şikəst qızının qollarında can verir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Qolu-zorbalılar adətən ölüm ayağında qurbanlarının mərhəmətinə möhtac qalırlar.
—————————————————————————
5.
"Bədbəxtlər", “Бедные люди”
Kasıb balıqçı ailəsi tufanlı bir gündə vəfat edən qonşu dul qadının uşaqlarını övladlığa götürür, beləliklə ailədə yeddi uşaq olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Uşaq ruzisi ilə gəlmir, kasıbınkı heç vaxt gətirmir.
—————————————————————————
6.
"Karma", “Карма”
Zərgər, nökər və əkinçi obrazları vasitəsilə Tolstoy müasirlərinə karmanın mənasını izah edir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Paulo Koelyonun “Əlkimyagər” əsəri elə də pis əsər deyilmiş.
—————————————————————————
7.
"Üç ölüm", “Три смерти”
Birinci ölüm vərəmli varlı xanımın, ikinci ölüm sobada yatan qoca fayton yançısının, üçümcü ölüm isə qocanın çəkmələrini götürən və ona başdaşı edəcəyinə söz verən, ancaq sonra xaçda istifadə ediləcək taxta üçün meşəyə yollanan gənc arabaçının ölümü olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: varlı da olsan, kasıb da olsan, öləcəksən, yeganə fərq - varlı olsan, başdaşın olacaq.
—————————————————————————
8.
"Axı niyə?", “За что?”
Sürgündə əziyyət çəkən polyak cütlüyün uğursuz qaçışından bəhs edilir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: İnsanın özündən çox qəhrəmanının şərəf və ləyaqətinə toxunmaları təsir edir.
—————————————————————————
9.
"Baha başa gəlir", “Дорого стоит”
Monakoda ölüm hökmü verilən qatilin edamı baha başa gəldiyi üçün cəzası dustaqlıqla əvəzlənir. Bu da saray büdcəsindən çox vəsait tələb etdiyi üçün qatil müəyyən aylıq xərc müqabilində azadlığa buraxılır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Doğru yerdə cinayət törətsəniz, cəzanız azadlıq ola bilər.
—————————————————————————
10.
"Yoldan ötənlə söhbət", “Разговор с прохожим”
Yoldan ötən qoca kənd sakinini siqaret çəkməkdən tərgitmək istəyir. “Ruh” sözü ilə istəyinə nail olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Siqareti tərgitmək istəmirsinizsə, hər yoldan ötənlə danışmayın.
—————————————————————————
11.
"Uşaqlar böyüklərdən ağıllıdırlar", “Девчонки умнее стариков”
Biri digərinin təzə donuna çirkli su sıçradan balaca qızlar arasında dava düşür, söhbətə valideynlə qarışır. Uşaqlar qısa müddət sonra barışsalar da böyüklər arasında ehtiraslar daha da qızışır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Uşaqlarda quş yaddaşı olur.
—————————————————————————
12.
"Övlad sevgisi", “Сила детства”
Qələbəliyin səs-küyü altında edama aparılan kişinin övladı qəzəbli kütləni qərarından döndərə bilir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Edama uşaqla getməyin.
Bəyəndiklərim: “Baha başa gəlir”, “Üç ölüm”
1.
“Sevgi haradadırsa, tanrı oradadır”, “Где любовь, там и Бог”
Ailəsini itirən, bu itkilərinə görə Allaha üsyan edən çəkməci bir gün İncili oxuyur və ertəsi gün evinə sığınan Allah qonaqlarında Xilaskarı görür.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Bütün sevdiklərini itirsən belə bu dünyada sevginə möhtac minlərlə insan var.
—————————————————————————
2.
"Yuxuda nə gördüm", “Что я видел во сне”
Knyazın sevimli qızı qoşulub qaçdığı isveçli tələbədən hamilə qalır. Bir müddət sonra itkin qızının izinə düşən ata onu bağışlaya biləcəkmi?
Çıxardığım nəticə: İctimai qınağa məhəl qoymadan sevdiklərinə rəhm etmək, bu mərhətin hesabına özünlə tanış olmaq yalnız yuxularda mümkündür.
—————————————————————————
3.
"Alyoşa qorşok", “Алеша Горшок”
Kasıb ailənin oğlu Alyoşa böyük qardaşı əsgərliyə yollandıqdan sonra şəhərə köçür, onun işlədiyi evdə xidmət etməyə başlayır. Üzüyola oğlan olan Alyoşa evin aşpazı ilə eşq yaşağa başlayır. Lakin hər kəs şəxsi mənafeyindən dolayı bu münasibətə qarşıdır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: kasıba sevmək də olmaz.
—————————————————————————
4.
"Korney Vasilyev", “Корней Васильев”
Şəhərdən kəndə qayıdan iş adamı Korneyə arabaçısı xoşagəlməz xəbər verir: arvadı yeni xidmətçisi ilə eşq yaşayır. Adı ləkələndiyi (özü də bir arabaçı tərəfindən) üçün arvadını şil-küt edib, qızını şikəst buraxır və evi tərk edir. Qoca vaxtında geri qayıdır, şikəst qızının qollarında can verir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Qolu-zorbalılar adətən ölüm ayağında qurbanlarının mərhəmətinə möhtac qalırlar.
—————————————————————————
5.
"Bədbəxtlər", “Бедные люди”
Kasıb balıqçı ailəsi tufanlı bir gündə vəfat edən qonşu dul qadının uşaqlarını övladlığa götürür, beləliklə ailədə yeddi uşaq olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Uşaq ruzisi ilə gəlmir, kasıbınkı heç vaxt gətirmir.
—————————————————————————
6.
"Karma", “Карма”
Zərgər, nökər və əkinçi obrazları vasitəsilə Tolstoy müasirlərinə karmanın mənasını izah edir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Paulo Koelyonun “Əlkimyagər” əsəri elə də pis əsər deyilmiş.
—————————————————————————
7.
"Üç ölüm", “Три смерти”
Birinci ölüm vərəmli varlı xanımın, ikinci ölüm sobada yatan qoca fayton yançısının, üçümcü ölüm isə qocanın çəkmələrini götürən və ona başdaşı edəcəyinə söz verən, ancaq sonra xaçda istifadə ediləcək taxta üçün meşəyə yollanan gənc arabaçının ölümü olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: varlı da olsan, kasıb da olsan, öləcəksən, yeganə fərq - varlı olsan, başdaşın olacaq.
—————————————————————————
8.
"Axı niyə?", “За что?”
Sürgündə əziyyət çəkən polyak cütlüyün uğursuz qaçışından bəhs edilir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: İnsanın özündən çox qəhrəmanının şərəf və ləyaqətinə toxunmaları təsir edir.
—————————————————————————
9.
"Baha başa gəlir", “Дорого стоит”
Monakoda ölüm hökmü verilən qatilin edamı baha başa gəldiyi üçün cəzası dustaqlıqla əvəzlənir. Bu da saray büdcəsindən çox vəsait tələb etdiyi üçün qatil müəyyən aylıq xərc müqabilində azadlığa buraxılır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Doğru yerdə cinayət törətsəniz, cəzanız azadlıq ola bilər.
—————————————————————————
10.
"Yoldan ötənlə söhbət", “Разговор с прохожим”
Yoldan ötən qoca kənd sakinini siqaret çəkməkdən tərgitmək istəyir. “Ruh” sözü ilə istəyinə nail olur.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Siqareti tərgitmək istəmirsinizsə, hər yoldan ötənlə danışmayın.
—————————————————————————
11.
"Uşaqlar böyüklərdən ağıllıdırlar", “Девчонки умнее стариков”
Biri digərinin təzə donuna çirkli su sıçradan balaca qızlar arasında dava düşür, söhbətə valideynlə qarışır. Uşaqlar qısa müddət sonra barışsalar da böyüklər arasında ehtiraslar daha da qızışır.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Uşaqlarda quş yaddaşı olur.
—————————————————————————
12.
"Övlad sevgisi", “Сила детства”
Qələbəliyin səs-küyü altında edama aparılan kişinin övladı qəzəbli kütləni qərarından döndərə bilir.
Çıxardığım nəticə: Edama uşaqla getməyin.
Bəyəndiklərim: “Baha başa gəlir”, “Üç ölüm”
September 9, 2024
Leído hoy por el aniversario de nacimiento de Tolstói (un 9 de septiembre hace 196 años). Cuento corto sobre el amor a los demás.
July 18, 2020
I read this once a year, usually at Christmas, but this year I needed Christmas in July. This is a favorite and so beautiful and true.
Matthew 25:40 "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Matthew 25:40 "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
December 26, 2021
A really nice short story, with a beautiful message, by a master story-teller.
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
—St. Matthew, Chap. xxv
January 9, 2013
“The world moves, not by our skill, but by God’s will….You are in despair because you wish to live for your own happiness.”
Classic tale of shoemaker Martin Avdeith who has a dream in which Christ tells him He will come visit him the next day. While waiting for a visit from Christ, Martin helps 3 others instead. At the end of the day, he is wondering why the Savior did not come. Martin realizes that the Savior really had come to him that day and he had received Him, as he reads: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Catchy title, one of my very favorite primary songs.)
Classic tale of shoemaker Martin Avdeith who has a dream in which Christ tells him He will come visit him the next day. While waiting for a visit from Christ, Martin helps 3 others instead. At the end of the day, he is wondering why the Savior did not come. Martin realizes that the Savior really had come to him that day and he had received Him, as he reads: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
(Catchy title, one of my very favorite primary songs.)
February 15, 2013
A universal spiritual story that must be read by any body. It's a very touched simple story. The beautiful spiritual intimacy between God and man. I always love the way Tolstoy wrote his stories which always contain of social, moral, religious, and spiritual issues. His works are not only wonderful but also meaningful and timeless. Indeed Tolstoy is not only one of the world's greatest novelists, he is also a moral philosopher.
July 14, 2018
I can't comment on Tolstoy's books, just amazing.
May 27, 2023
A precious, scripture-heavy short story very plainly meant to teach a Christian lesson. I figure it's easier to appreciate the tale if you're already familiar with the New Testament passages the cobbler reads.
Even as predictable as the moral of the story was for me, I especially liked the ending.
Even as predictable as the moral of the story was for me, I especially liked the ending.
December 20, 2019
Lovely story!
December 25, 2013
Tolstoy espoused on the lessons of Matthew 25:40. The lessons of this short story are a guide to how we ought to live our lives. A life lived for one’s own happiness is not worth living.
In the story, Martin Avdyeeich, the cobbler, had a dream wherein he heard the voice of Christ that He will come and visit him. Martin then had three strange experiences in which he came face to face with needy people. He helped them. He waited in his shop until late hours and Christ never visited. Then he stumbled into Matt. 25:40, ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ He was pleased that indeed Christ had visited him.
I find the last experience of the cobbler more inspiring. We should not rely on the institution of the Government in the fight against corruption.
In the story, Martin Avdyeeich, the cobbler, had a dream wherein he heard the voice of Christ that He will come and visit him. Martin then had three strange experiences in which he came face to face with needy people. He helped them. He waited in his shop until late hours and Christ never visited. Then he stumbled into Matt. 25:40, ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ He was pleased that indeed Christ had visited him.
I find the last experience of the cobbler more inspiring. We should not rely on the institution of the Government in the fight against corruption.
November 21, 2008
My fist Tolstoy book. I hope to read many more. This was a short-story and it was simple and beautiful. This book does better at capturing the "true" essence of Christianity than most religious texts.
June 23, 2019
Beautiful story Babushka😀
September 23, 2019
Intriguing.
August 16, 2023
দুঃখ, দুর্দশা, হতাশা, একাকীত্ব এবং না পাওয়ার আক্ষেপ এবং প্রিয় মানুষ হারানোর বেদনা আমাদের যাপিত জীবনের খুবই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অংশ এবং এই সময়টাতেই আমাদের কাছে সবচেয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ যে প্রশ্নটি আমাদের মস্তিষ্কে বারবার প্রতিফলিত করে সেটা হচ্ছে
জীবন মানে কি? বেঁচে থাকারই বা কি অর্থ এবং কি কারনে বেচে থাকবো, কার উদ্দেশ্যই বেঁচে থাকবে?
কিন্তু এর উত্তর যদি হয়
" ঈশ্বরের জন্য বেঁচে থাকা"
কেননা, ঈশ্বর আমাদের জীবন উপহার দিয়েছেন, শুধু তার জন্যই বেঁচে থাকতে পারলে, শুধু এবং একমাত্র ঈশ্বরের জন্য বেঁচে থাকলেই কি আমাদের জীবনে দুঃখ-হতাশা দূর হয়? জীবনটাকে ঈশ্বরের তরে আত্মসমর্পণের মাধ্যমে কি চূড়ান্ত সাফল্য অর্জন করা যায়?
উপরোক্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ প্রশ্নটি লিও তলস্তয় তার ছোট গল্প "হোয়ার লাভ ইজ,দেয়ার গড ইজ অলসো" প্রধান চরিত্র মার্টিন এর মাধ্যমে খুবই সুন্দর ভাবে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছেন।
যেখানে ভালোবাসা বিদ্যমান, সেখানেই ঈশ্বরের উপস্থিতি ও বিদ্যমান।ভালোবাসার মাধ্যমেই ঈশ্বরকে খুঁজে পাওয়া যায়। ভালোবাসা ছড়িয়ে পড়ুক মানুষের অন্তরে এবং তার চারপাশ।
জীবন মানে কি? বেঁচে থাকারই বা কি অর্থ এবং কি কারনে বেচে থাকবো, কার উদ্দেশ্যই বেঁচে থাকবে?
কিন্তু এর উত্তর যদি হয়
" ঈশ্বরের জন্য বেঁচে থাকা"
কেননা, ঈশ্বর আমাদের জীবন উপহার দিয়েছেন, শুধু তার জন্যই বেঁচে থাকতে পারলে, শুধু এবং একমাত্র ঈশ্বরের জন্য বেঁচে থাকলেই কি আমাদের জীবনে দুঃখ-হতাশা দূর হয়? জীবনটাকে ঈশ্বরের তরে আত্মসমর্পণের মাধ্যমে কি চূড়ান্ত সাফল্য অর্জন করা যায়?
উপরোক্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ প্রশ্নটি লিও তলস্তয় তার ছোট গল্প "হোয়ার লাভ ইজ,দেয়ার গড ইজ অলসো" প্রধান চরিত্র মার্টিন এর মাধ্যমে খুবই সুন্দর ভাবে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছেন।
যেখানে ভালোবাসা বিদ্যমান, সেখানেই ঈশ্বরের উপস্থিতি ও বিদ্যমান।ভালোবাসার মাধ্যমেই ঈশ্বরকে খুঁজে পাওয়া যায়। ভালোবাসা ছড়িয়ে পড়ুক মানুষের অন্তরে এবং তার চারপাশ।
June 5, 2022
Jordan's introduction is so helpful and illuminating! Particularly loved The Three Hermits. 3.5/5
February 5, 2023
This is a short story by Leo Tolstoy, written in the style of a folk tale. Its main idea, namely that an old man helps different people in need, and in the end is told by God that he has done these things unto him (and the people in need actually were Christ in disguise), is such a trope (in Christianity at least), that I found the story to be a bit dull as a whole.
December 12, 2024
oh i really liked this. a heartwarming, christmasy story about loving thy neighbor. how god seems absent when life is tough but he is with you even then, in the form of other people. also really liked how the women he helped said „oh christ must have sent you“ and he said „yes i dreamt of him telling me he will visit me“. very heartwarming and a great lesson that is perfectly captured in the title: where love is, there is god
December 4, 2022
I honestly went in thinking I'd struggled with this like I did with The Death of Ivan Illych, but instead I was surprised at how it kept my attention.
August 15, 2010
beautiful, inspiring, soothing, with a simple but clear message. my favourite exerpts are from the first and the last one:
"Martin, du redest toricht, wir haben kein Recht uns uber Gottes taten ein Urteil zu erlauben. Der Mensch denkt, und Gott lenkt. Deinem Sohn hat Gott bestimmt zu sterben - dir aber zu leben. Also muss es so richtig sein. Wenn du aber darum verzweifelt bist, so kommt das daher, weil du nur zu deiner eigenen Freude leben mochtest." Wo die Liebe ist, da ist auch Gott
"den Menschen scheint es nur so, als lebten sie von der Sorge um sich selbst; in Wahrheit leben sie nur von der Liebe." Wovon die Menschen leben
"Martin, du redest toricht, wir haben kein Recht uns uber Gottes taten ein Urteil zu erlauben. Der Mensch denkt, und Gott lenkt. Deinem Sohn hat Gott bestimmt zu sterben - dir aber zu leben. Also muss es so richtig sein. Wenn du aber darum verzweifelt bist, so kommt das daher, weil du nur zu deiner eigenen Freude leben mochtest." Wo die Liebe ist, da ist auch Gott
"den Menschen scheint es nur so, als lebten sie von der Sorge um sich selbst; in Wahrheit leben sie nur von der Liebe." Wovon die Menschen leben
December 2, 2019
This was a surprising and deeply moving experience from an author whose more famous works are very familiar to me--surprising perhaps because I have read very little of his late writing after his spiritual awakening. He illustrates how the teaching of Christ when he walked on earth should be applied in everyday life. He does this in a very clear way with the three examples in which the hero of the story gets involved. This story reminded me in its spirit of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s novella “Matriona’s House.” It appears though that there is presently no English translation available of that powerful work.
December 22, 2023
I have known the story and seen the movie with John Rhys-Davies (Winter Thaw), but never read this story, which Leo Tolstoy said was his favorite. This was the perfect story to listen to (on YouTube) at Christmas time.
December 20, 2012
One of my favorite short stories of all time.
July 31, 2015
I enjoyed these short stories. I always enjoy a different perspective on God that is not technically scripture. A going quick read that will remind you boldly how we should be more like Christ.
March 20, 2017
A poignant and touching tale.
November 5, 2023
I knew where this was going butttt it trapped me to tears dammit!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews