Not too long ago there...
Illustration
Not too long ago there was a board meeting at a local church, when suddenly the church phone rang. When the pastor answered it, he found his wife calling. She informed him that a "needy person" had come to the parsonage requesting help. Since the parsonage was across the street, the pastor walked over to investigate.
When he came out of the church, he saw a shabbily-dressed young woman who told him her baby was hungry. She was out of work and so on. The story was all too familiar.
Assuming she needed help, he went back in the church and, like a good pastor, took up an offering. He raised thirty some dollars.
With a seasoned intuition, instead of giving the woman the money, he took her to the store. Here, to his surprise, she wanted nothing. She even refused a gallon of milk. It seemed the woman only wanted to "rip-off" the church.
Many of us have had an experience like that. What do we do? Do we become cynical and refuse to help others? No! To do so is to betray Christ as did Judas. When we serve others, we serve Christ. "You did it for me," we are told. We have to keep trying. That's called faith.
When he came out of the church, he saw a shabbily-dressed young woman who told him her baby was hungry. She was out of work and so on. The story was all too familiar.
Assuming she needed help, he went back in the church and, like a good pastor, took up an offering. He raised thirty some dollars.
With a seasoned intuition, instead of giving the woman the money, he took her to the store. Here, to his surprise, she wanted nothing. She even refused a gallon of milk. It seemed the woman only wanted to "rip-off" the church.
Many of us have had an experience like that. What do we do? Do we become cynical and refuse to help others? No! To do so is to betray Christ as did Judas. When we serve others, we serve Christ. "You did it for me," we are told. We have to keep trying. That's called faith.
