The Little Red Wagon Story
Humor
Windows for Sermons
Stories And Humor For Inspired Preaching
Object:
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and our entrance into World War II, the U.S. Government decided to build the Pentagon. This was to become the largest building in America; it has five stories down as well as up. A call was issued by newspapers and radio that trucks would be needed to haul away the dirt from the large excavation.
A ten-year-old boy with a little red wagon showed up at headquarters to help move the dirt. He was turned away by the man in charge of the early shift. He was also turned away by the man in charge of the next shift. But when the boy, in tears, turned to leave, the Army General in charge of the entire project overheard the conversation and spoke to the lad.
"Why is it so important to you to get a job working with your little red wagon on this building?"
The boy answered, "I saw in the paper that we needed this building because we were not prepared. I lost my daddy at Pearl Harbor because of that. I thought if I could help just a little we might get this building done sooner, and some other boy might not lose his daddy."
The big-hearted General gave orders, "Give this boy a number." They pinned a truck number on his T-shirt. "Take his wagon over to the shop and paint a number on it." It was done. The boy went to work.
Later, observers noted the boy moving small piles of dirt. It would have taken a million years to move the amount that had to be moved so that the building could be built.
But, when the other workmen heard why the boy was there they moved heaven and earth to get the job done. It had an all time record for the completion of such a huge project. Much of it because a ten-year-old boy said, "All I have to give my country is myself and my red wagon."
All that any of us have to give is our talent of service for God and country.
(Story recorded in Bits And Pieces, by O. B. Spencer, Providence House Publishers, Franklin, Tennessee. Used by permission.)
A ten-year-old boy with a little red wagon showed up at headquarters to help move the dirt. He was turned away by the man in charge of the early shift. He was also turned away by the man in charge of the next shift. But when the boy, in tears, turned to leave, the Army General in charge of the entire project overheard the conversation and spoke to the lad.
"Why is it so important to you to get a job working with your little red wagon on this building?"
The boy answered, "I saw in the paper that we needed this building because we were not prepared. I lost my daddy at Pearl Harbor because of that. I thought if I could help just a little we might get this building done sooner, and some other boy might not lose his daddy."
The big-hearted General gave orders, "Give this boy a number." They pinned a truck number on his T-shirt. "Take his wagon over to the shop and paint a number on it." It was done. The boy went to work.
Later, observers noted the boy moving small piles of dirt. It would have taken a million years to move the amount that had to be moved so that the building could be built.
But, when the other workmen heard why the boy was there they moved heaven and earth to get the job done. It had an all time record for the completion of such a huge project. Much of it because a ten-year-old boy said, "All I have to give my country is myself and my red wagon."
All that any of us have to give is our talent of service for God and country.
(Story recorded in Bits And Pieces, by O. B. Spencer, Providence House Publishers, Franklin, Tennessee. Used by permission.)
