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Don't We All?
One evening I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just
come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a
bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no
money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that
you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of the "Don't want to be
bothered" times. "I hope he doesn't ask me for money," I thought. He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop and he didn't look like
he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he
spoke. "That's a very nice car," he said. He was ragged but had an air of
dignity around him. I said, "Thanks," and continued wiping off my car. He
sat there quietly as I worked.
The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened
something inside said, 'ask him if he needs any help.' I was sure that he
would say yes, but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I
asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never
forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an
outstretched grimy hand. He spoke three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said. I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to
sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only
enough for bus fare but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no
matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how
little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without
money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a
compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that
appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't
have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a
respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe
the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was
more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise to
minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down,
called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "Go minister to that man
cleaning the car, that man needs help." "Don't We All?" |
The Price He
Paid For Us
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England
town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to the church carrying a rusty,
bent, old bird cage, and set it by the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised
and, as if in response, Pastor Thomas began to speak. "I was walking through
town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming toward me, swinging this bird
cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with
cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked,
"'What you got there son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you gonna do with them?" I asked.
"Take 'em home and have fun with 'em. I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their
feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
"But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do
then?"
"Oh, I got some cats. They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."
The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds,
son?"
"Huh??!!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old
field birds. They don't sing-they ain't even pretty!"
"How much?"
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He placed
it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the
cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree
and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly
tapping the bars, persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
Well, that explained the empty bird cage on the pulpit, and then the pastor
began to tell this story. One day Satan and Jesus were having a
conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was
gloating and boasting.
"Yes sir, I just caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap,
used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each
other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to invent guns and bombs and
kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, I'll kill 'em."
"How much do you want for them?"
"Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you take them and
they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you!! You
don't want those people!!"
"HOW MUCH?"
Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your blood."
Jesus paid the price. He picked up the cage... HE OPENED THE DOOR.
"Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is
broken, and we are escaped. Psalm 124: 7.2"
"For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
[as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition
from your fathers;But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot: 1 Peter 1 : 18 – 19" |
FULFILLING VOWS
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no
pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. (Ecclesiastes 5:4)
Have you ever had a business relationship with someone who made a commitment
but later said, "Well, things changed, so I cannot honor our original
agreement"?
Sometimes this may be the case, but often it is simply an opportunity to
avoid fulfilling an agreement. God is big on fulfilling vows. God's nature
is righteousness and truth. You will always see God honor His Word. He
expects the same of His people.
God says there are consequences when we do not fulfill our vows. Subsequent
Scripture verses reveal the following: "It is better not to vow than to make
a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do
not protest to the temple messenger, 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God
be angry with what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming
and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God" (Ecclesiastes
5:5-7).
God tells us that He will destroy the work of our hands for failure to
fulfill vows. That's pretty strong language. It gives us an indication of
how important fulfilling vows is to God. He will not prosper our work if
there are unfulfilled vows in our lives.
Are there any unfulfilled vows in your life that may be hindering your
projects? Vows show up in many areas of our lives - marriages, businesses,
personal friendships. Unfulfilled vows in any one of these could be the
reason your work may be hindered.
Ask God today if there are any unfulfilled vows in your life. If so, begin
today to make them right so that you may be successful in whatever God calls
you to do.
*If we would remember the vows we made
And be pure and true within;
We would not compromise the truth
And lead ourselves into sin. |