A three-day-old infant was abandoned, and a merciful woman, Rajalaxmi Kar, took the girl and brought her up as her child in Odisha. She was murdered to death in her home by her adopted daughter, Ganesh Rath, a temple priest, and Dinesh Sahu. Rajalaxmi opposed her thirteen-year-old adopted daughter’s relationship with the two women, and sought to gain control of her property. (India Today, 17 May 2025)
Abandoned to die: The mother of the girl had abandoned her as a three-day-old infant. If the woman did not have compassion for the powerless and helpless infant, she would not have lived for thirteen years. In the world, she was gifted with a second life by a stranger. Like the Good, Godly, and Great Samaritan, this woman showed compassion to a stranger. (Luke 10: 29-37)
Good life: The generous woman gave a good life to the girl. She provided all her needs, helped her to study in the village school. As she grew up, the woman migrated to the city so that this girl could continue her education.
Bad company: The Bible warns that bad company corrupts a person’s character. (I Corinthians 15:23) By associating with people with poor values, narrow-mindedness, covetousness, and wicked people, this girl lost her morality, sanity, and gratefulness. The two people had a negative influence on her, and she conspired, gathered courage, and killed her benefactor, and cremated her body, stating she died of a heart attack.
Missing Virtue: Gratefulness is a missing virtue, always in history. It would be more real in the Last Days, as Paul writes to Timothy. (II Timothy 3:1-5) As mentioned, this teen girl was a lover of herself, money, and ungrateful. A city that was saved by a poor, wise man was ungrateful to him. (Ecclesiastes 9:14-15) David saved the city of Keilah from the Philistines, but they were ready to hand him over to Saul to kill him. (I Samuel 23:1-12)
Learning to be grateful: Let us not forget the benefits of the Lord, and always be thankful to the Lord. (Psalm 103:2; I Thessalonians 5:18)
Am I a grateful person?