God Sees the Truth, But Waits

Ivan Aksionov was a young merchant in a Russian town. He had two shops, a nice house, a wife and small children. He was friendly and funny, and he loved to sing. One summer, he prepared to travel to a big market in another city, to sell his things.

"Please don't go today," his wife said. "I had a bad dream about you. In my dream, your hair was completely grey." Ivan laughed. "Dreams mean nothing!" And he drove away. On the road, he met another merchant, a man he knew. They stopped at the same small hotel for the night, drank tea together, and slept in rooms next to each other. Early in the morning, Ivan continued his journey alone.

Later that day, police officers stopped him on the road. They asked strange questions: Where did you sleep? Who was with you? Then they told him terrible news: the other merchant was dead, and his money was gone. The police searched Ivan's bag — and found a knife in it. It was not Ivan's knife. Somebody had put it there. "It's not mine! I don't know how it got there!" Ivan cried. But his face was white and his voice was shaking, and to the police he looked like a guilty man. The court did not believe him. Ivan was sent far away, to a prison camp in Siberia — an innocent man.

Before Ivan was sent away, his wife visited him one time. She asked him quietly: "Ivan, tell me the truth. Did you do it?" That question hurt Ivan more than anything. Even his own wife was not sure! "Only God knows the truth," he said to himself. "People will not help me. I will pray, and I will wait."

Ivan lived in the prison camp in Siberia for twenty-six years. His hair became white — exactly like in his wife's dream. He worked, he read his one book, and he sang in the church choir on Sundays. Slowly, something surprising happened: everybody began to respect him. The other prisoners called him "Grandfather" and "the man of God". When they argued, they came to Ivan, and he decided fairly who was right. But he heard nothing from his family — nothing, for twenty-six years.

One day, a new group of prisoners arrived. One of them, Makar, was a big, loud man of about sixty — from Ivan's home town! Ivan asked him about his family. And when Makar heard Ivan's name, he looked very surprised and said strange things. Slowly, Ivan understood something terrible: this man knew about that night at the hotel, twenty-six years ago. Maybe — maybe Makar himself was the real culprit. Old memories filled Ivan's heart, and for two weeks he was so unhappy he could not sleep.

One night, Ivan saw something: Makar was secretly digging a tunnel under the wall — he wanted to escape! Makar whispered: "Keep quiet, old man, and I'll take you with me. If you tell, you will be sorry." Ivan answered: "I don't want to escape. And I'm not afraid of you. You took my life from me long ago. I will do what God tells me to do."

The next day, the guards found the tunnel. The commander asked all the prisoners: "Who did this?" Nobody spoke. Then the commander turned to Ivan: "Old man, you always tell the truth. Tell me: who dug the tunnel?" Here was Ivan's chance! He could finally pay Makar back for everything! Ivan looked at Makar… and said: "I cannot say it, sir. Do what you want with me." He protected the man who had destroyed his life.

That night, Makar came to Ivan's bed — crying. He fell on his knees. "Ivan, forgive me! It was me, that night at the hotel. I put the knife in your bag. I will confess everything — they will let you go home!" Ivan said sadly: "It is easy to say. But where can I go now? My wife is dead. My children have forgotten me. I have nowhere to go." But Makar cried and cried: "Forgive me! Please, forgive me!" And when Ivan saw his tears, his own heart changed. "God will forgive you," he said softly. "Maybe I am no better than you." And suddenly, Ivan felt light and free — the pain of twenty-six years was gone. Makar confessed everything to the court. The order came: Ivan was free. But when the paper arrived at the camp, Ivan had already died — quietly, and at peace.