The desire to be open with complete honesty. To be built up by the Spirit of the Lord in Love. To seek out who we are in Jesus. To discover His Will for our life.
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding...
ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.
He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.
He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."
As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"
He stopped in mid-stride ... and he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus - He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place.
"The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him - only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister."
Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"
Do people mistake you for Jesus?
That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.
If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day .
You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
my beloved sister you has just let our HEAVENLY FATHER USED YOU TO SPEAK A LOT OF TRUTH THAT TO ME BELIEVERS THAT I HAVE CROSS PASSES WITH, HAVE JUST FORGOT THAT IT IS THE WAY THAT WE ARE TO LIVE AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST,BUT YET EVERY SUNDAY THEY GOES TO CHURCH BUT DOING THE WEEK THEY WILL HARDY LIFE THEIR FINGER TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS DOWN AND OUT ,I BE WONDER SOMETIME DO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND OR BELIEVE THAT GOD SEE AND KNOW ALL OF OUR ACTION AS WELL AS OUR MOTIVE ,PLEASE CONTINUE TO LET HIM USE YOU ,LOVE YOU MY BELOVED SISTER IN CHRIST
I needed a moment or two to respond, I did not want my tears on the keyboard. My Dear Sister Thank You for hearing His Voice and sharing this. I cannot imagine anyone who would read this and not be Changed, by the profound Wisdom and clear Message. Again, Bless You so very much. Love you and Benny, Sister.
William Adams (rockabillie)
Liz,
What a lovely story and the meaning of it is sooo right. God bless you sister.
Bill.
Sep 30, 2012
ALCEDES JONES
my beloved sister you has just let our HEAVENLY FATHER USED YOU TO SPEAK A LOT OF TRUTH THAT TO ME BELIEVERS THAT I HAVE CROSS PASSES WITH, HAVE JUST FORGOT THAT IT IS THE WAY THAT WE ARE TO LIVE AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST,BUT YET EVERY SUNDAY THEY GOES TO CHURCH BUT DOING THE WEEK THEY WILL HARDY LIFE THEIR FINGER TO HELP SOMEONE WHO IS DOWN AND OUT ,I BE WONDER SOMETIME DO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND OR BELIEVE THAT GOD SEE AND KNOW ALL OF OUR ACTION AS WELL AS OUR MOTIVE ,PLEASE CONTINUE TO LET HIM USE YOU ,LOVE YOU MY BELOVED SISTER IN CHRIST
Sep 30, 2012
a servant (Chris)
I needed a moment or two to respond, I did not want my tears on the keyboard. My Dear Sister Thank You for hearing His Voice and sharing this. I cannot imagine anyone who would read this and not be Changed, by the profound Wisdom and clear Message. Again, Bless You so very much. Love you and Benny, Sister.
Oct 1, 2012