Eightball
Senior Member
- Oct 13, 2004
- 1,359
- 253
- 48
My wife's uncle sent this via email not long ago to us both.
I just wanted to share this short story. It is very short, but it sure typifies in my opinion how God works in and through our lives when we are ever-alert, and sensitive to His calling and motivation of us.
It Was Only Money
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change." The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test! Always be on guard and remember that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian." Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Anyway, in my life as a Christian, I have had those moments in similar and non-similar ways, and haven't had the witnessed results that this preacher experienced. Never the less, it does remind me that, things can happen that I won't know about, but maybe some day I will know about the results when I follow my conscience in not just the big things, but also the very little and even mundane things of life too.
*******
I can't share the details, but just a couple months ago, I was confronted (by my Brother in Law)with an issue by some of my relatives. I was basically asked or "told" to "shun" contact of a certain person ( daughter in law) in whom they were having a feud (divorce), and I refused, as I hadn't experienced anything from this person that should cause or motivate me to do so. I would have been going against my conscience. As a result, I have lost or been "cut-off" from my sister, brother in law and their family after having a very close relationship with them for more years than I can tell you. My Brother In Law, in whom I've been very close Like a brother nearly 40 years, called me some pretty mean, and demeaning things, that hurt very badly.
I have only one sibling ( my sister), and now our close communications/friendship has been "dashed", and I am now considered a "black sheep" of sorts by them. In some ways, I am thrust into the role of a "Scape Goat" for their own problems.
Anyway, this little story that my wife's uncle sent, is an encouragement to me, and also a reminder that as a Christain, that the decisions that I make in life aren't always going to turn out the way I expect, yet I must literally "hold on" and obey my conscience too.
It's taken the last two months to finally get to the point of not being so saddened and depressed over the severing of my sister's family's relationship with me. I didn't condemn a person they felt needed shunning and rejection to support their "side" of an issue, and, well, I'm saddened by the present outcome.
Hopefully this momentary situation will turn out, to the glory of God, in some way, although my finite, human mind isn't capable of figuring that out. For the meantime, I must just accept that the "world" has a set of rules and ethics that might not parallel the bible. If I stick to the "biblical" I might not always receive or get the results I'm hoping for, but maybe that's because I have to realize that "bad things" aren't always "bad" in the long-run, and in God's scheme of things.
I just wanted to share this short story. It is very short, but it sure typifies in my opinion how God works in and through our lives when we are ever-alert, and sensitive to His calling and motivation of us.
It Was Only Money
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change." The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians and will put us to the test! Always be on guard and remember that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian." Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Anyway, in my life as a Christian, I have had those moments in similar and non-similar ways, and haven't had the witnessed results that this preacher experienced. Never the less, it does remind me that, things can happen that I won't know about, but maybe some day I will know about the results when I follow my conscience in not just the big things, but also the very little and even mundane things of life too.
*******
I can't share the details, but just a couple months ago, I was confronted (by my Brother in Law)with an issue by some of my relatives. I was basically asked or "told" to "shun" contact of a certain person ( daughter in law) in whom they were having a feud (divorce), and I refused, as I hadn't experienced anything from this person that should cause or motivate me to do so. I would have been going against my conscience. As a result, I have lost or been "cut-off" from my sister, brother in law and their family after having a very close relationship with them for more years than I can tell you. My Brother In Law, in whom I've been very close Like a brother nearly 40 years, called me some pretty mean, and demeaning things, that hurt very badly.
I have only one sibling ( my sister), and now our close communications/friendship has been "dashed", and I am now considered a "black sheep" of sorts by them. In some ways, I am thrust into the role of a "Scape Goat" for their own problems.
Anyway, this little story that my wife's uncle sent, is an encouragement to me, and also a reminder that as a Christain, that the decisions that I make in life aren't always going to turn out the way I expect, yet I must literally "hold on" and obey my conscience too.
It's taken the last two months to finally get to the point of not being so saddened and depressed over the severing of my sister's family's relationship with me. I didn't condemn a person they felt needed shunning and rejection to support their "side" of an issue, and, well, I'm saddened by the present outcome.
Hopefully this momentary situation will turn out, to the glory of God, in some way, although my finite, human mind isn't capable of figuring that out. For the meantime, I must just accept that the "world" has a set of rules and ethics that might not parallel the bible. If I stick to the "biblical" I might not always receive or get the results I'm hoping for, but maybe that's because I have to realize that "bad things" aren't always "bad" in the long-run, and in God's scheme of things.
