Emphasis Preaching Journal

Joe was a wisecracking, cocksure youngest son from a large and wealthy family, resented by his older brothers because he was the only son of his father's second, much younger wife. He spent his early years being pushed around. Joe spent a lot of time trying to impress his brothers. No athlete, he was always coming up with big, new words he'd try out in conversation, but his brothers made fun of his "book learning." One day, Joe saw a magic trick set in a store window. On impulse, he laid down three weeks' allowance for it and took it home. He learned how to pull scarves out of his sleeve, coins from ears, produce bouquets from nothing, even make fire sprout from his fingertips. But his brothers were not impressed; in fact, they made fun of him for wasting his time. They broke his magic wand and tore up his cape. In despair, Joe ran away from home. He crashed, finally, at a shelter in Chicago. Morose and rebellious, he caused trouble, was kicked out, and wound up panhandling. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, he was thrown in jail. There he met another drifter, a wino whose life had been spent on street corners producing rabbits from hats until he made himself disappear into a bottle. The encounter made Joe go back to polishing his magic tricks, and soon he was back on the streets, but this time with a real show that featured his clever sleight-of-hand. One day, he was approached with an offer to play in a small club one night a week. Soon he was so popular, other clubs began to book his act, and after a few years, he was playing the circuit of high-priced clubs. His travels finally brought him back home, and his family came to see the show. Joe was so pleased, he had champagne and the best dinner on the menu ready for them when they arrived, and even introduced them from the stage. His oldest brother, shame-
faced, admitted, "Guess you made something of that magic stuff after all." Joe slapped him on the shoulder. "It's okay, Ruben. We're all older and wiser now. Let's just let the past be the past. Besides," he concluded with a grin, "you just inherited the wealth -- I'm the one who struck it rich!" And both the brothers laughed. -- Herrmann