Wisdom of the Sadhu---Teachings of Sundar Singh

Wisdom of the Sadhu---Teachings of Sundar Singh is a great book. This is the true story of Sundar Singh who was a young boy who grew up in a wealthy Sikh home.  He was well loved by his parents.  Sundar was a sensitive boy who always cared for the plight of the poor around him.  One time as an 8 year old he wanted to help a poor woman in the streets.  He spent all of his money on buying her food but he didn't have enough to buy her a blanket.  He begged his father for more money but because he had already given her money before he refuses and says that it is time for others to help her so Sundar steals some of his fathers money to buy the blanket.  His father finds out but Sundar denies that he has done this theft.  Sundar is racked with guilt until he confesses to his father but his father surprises him by praising him for doing what was right and good and apologizes to him for refusing him the money in the first place.  From this brief story the reader sees that the father dearly loves his son.  He sends him to a Christian school because that is the best.  Sundar hates going to school there.  He even tears up and burns the Bible.  He gets into so much trouble from the school and his father for destroying the Holy book even though it is not his religion.  A few days later in much confusion Sundar prays to God to show himself to him if He is true.  Then Yesu (Jesus) comes to him right after the prayer and talks to him, then Sundar sees the marks on his hands and feet.  Sundar falls on his knees before the Master and feels the great peace that he has been seeking all his life.  He runs to his father to tell him of the experience and his father tells him he is confused and to go to sleep.  Sundar goes to sleep but he does not forget and spends his next few days in meditation and solitude.  Sundar decides that he must declare his new faith in Christ publicly since he had declared his insults publicly and does so.  This makes the Sikhs very angry and they eventually get the Christian school closed and the teachers have to escape for fear of reprisal.  The loving father has just lost his other son and his wife to death and is patient with his son.  He tries everything to get him to renounce his new faith but Sundar will not.  Sadly the father is forced to reject his son and send him from the house in disgrace.  And 15 year old Sundar who is only used to luxury is cast out into the world with only what he had on.  No food, no clothes, no shelter.  Sundar had the one thing that he had been seeking though--he had peace in his heart.

I loved this story of Sundar's teachings.  Sundar considered himself an Indian Holy man.  He rejected many if not most of the western Christian beliefs but those of Jesus Christ he believed and more importantly he lived and taught it to others.  He did not understand professing love for Christ but not loving your neighbor which many who profess Christ do.  He continued to love even those who did not believe with him. He was beat repeatedly for his beliefs.  He never forgot the love and peace he received from Jesus as a boy.  When the teacher at the mission school predicted to his father that Sundar would become a great man of God or .....go insane he was correct.  Sundar became a great man of God.  This is part of his story.

I received this book from Handlebar for this review.