“Oh, Lord…,” sighed Mike upon seeing his mother’s latest medical bill and quickly shut his laptop. He could hardly believe the cost of illness in this country, and even with insurance, a huge amount remained.

Sadly, their savings weren’t substantial, and Mike found himself once more feeling resentful towards his grandmother, Grace.

He noticed something odd within the book that he hadn’t seen years ago.

They had a major argument six years ago because Grace wanted Mike to attend church on a specific day. However, he was too busy and had already made plans with friends. At eighteen, socializing was all that was on his mind.

But she was adamant, and when Mike refused, the discussion escalated into a quarrel. They never spoke again, and Grace passed away shortly thereafter.

When her will was read, Mike was stunned to find that the elderly woman had left everything to the church, including her large house. They had such a good relationship before that disagreement, especially after her son, Mike’s father, had died. Mike could have really used that money and house to stop renting.

Instead, all he received was a Bible and a note, which read: “Open it when it’s tough.”

He was shocked. Mike couldn’t fathom why Grace had been so proud. The argument about going to church seemed trivial to him, but the elderly woman had decided to teach him a lesson.

Now, six years later, he thought again about that money. Yes, they were never entitled to it. It was her money, after all, but it could have significantly helped his mother, Kaila.

Mike had exhausted all his savings, started a GoFundMe campaign for his mother, and even applied for a loan. He was denied because he had nothing to use as collateral at the Washington bank. He didn’t know what to do next, but that Bible lingered in his mind for some reason.

Well, times are tough now. I suppose I should open it and read a few passages, he thought, getting up from his home desk and heading to the closet. Years ago, he had tossed the Bible somewhere in there and hadn’t bothered to look at it again. But he found it and opened the first page, where he had kept the note that came with the book.

Mike read the note aloud once more. “Open it when it’s tough…” he whispered. “Crazy old woman. I loved you, and you were so headstrong.”

Then he noticed something peculiar inside the book, something he hadn’t seen years ago due to his anger. The page seemed slightly separated by something. Did she leave me more notes to read? he wondered and turned the page.

His eyes widened. There were two 100-dollar bills. He turned the next page and found two more 100-dollar bills. As he continued flipping pages, he discovered more! There were thousands of dollars hidden among the Bible’s pages! After gathering them, he laid them on the bed and began to cry.

“Oh, Grandma! Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you say anything before you left? I’m so sorry I hated you all these years,” he cried out to the sky and began to rethink his life.

As a child, he’d been raised Catholic and regularly attended church with Grace. He was even part of the choir at one point. But like most teenagers, he lost interest and stopped going. Grace constantly urged him to continue, always talking about God, Jesus, and saints. He began to resent those discussions. But now, he reminisced about them fondly.

Then he recalled the argument with Grace and regretted all the years of harboring hatred toward her. She had done the right thing. She gave him a tough lesson he needed to learn. He felt grateful to her, even though it was a cruel punishment for that argument. “Crazy old woman,” he muttered again, but this time, he laughed.

The money was more than enough to cover his mother’s treatments. So, he went to the hospital and told Kaila about it. His mother laughed after hearing what Grace had done.

“That sounds like something Grace would do. She was so peculiar in some ways, but wise. I can’t believe I didn’t notice anything back then,” Kaila remarked with a big smile. “I’m sorry you have to spend it all on me. Maybe you can keep some money, and we can sell something.”

“No, mom. This money is entirely for you. Grandma told me to open the Bible when things get tough. This gift is meant for you,” Mike replied, holding his mother’s hand and reassuring her it was the right decision.

Once Kaila recovered, they began attending church together every Sunday. He would never be as devout as Grace, but he went to church to give thanks for what she hid in that Bible. And occasionally, he would ask her to say hi to whatever higher power might be out there.

What can we learn from this story?

You’re not entitled to an inheritance. Mike knew he wasn’t entitled to Grace’s money, yet he harbored resentment due to his circumstances. Fortunately, he learned that she did leave him an inheritance, even when he believed he didn’t deserve it.

You can’t force your religious beliefs on others. Religion and faith are personal choices, and you can guide people along a path but can’t make them stay if they stray. Grace attempted to push Mike, and he pushed back. Yet, when she changed tactics, Mike found his form of faith.

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