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It is the greatest gift to be able to bless someone else and see their
appreciation and thankfulness. It truly is in blessing others that we
become blessed and filled with the joy of the Lord because we were used as
an instrument to help our fellow human being. The Bible tells us in
Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all
men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” We are to
share what we have been given and be an example of love and care showing
all that we are children of the Most High God. Be encouraged to be a giver
and do all that you can to help others know that humanity still cares and
loves their fellow brothers and sisters. (Matthew 10:8) (Galatians 6:2-4)
I hope this message encourages your heart to be a blessing to someone else
when you have the opportunity and allow the light that is within your heart
to shine brightly impacting all those who are near to you.
REMEMBER THE FEELING
I was a little disappointed when I saw the old buildings that I had known
as a young boy were gone. Every single one of them had been replaced by a
high-rise.
It had been a long time since I had been to Jacksonville, Florida. I had
driven to town, hoping to see the old barber shop where my hair had been
cut as a child. The orphanage would bring us kids downtown for a free
haircut by the new barbers being trained.
As it was early and rather cold, I put on my coat and began searching for
a telephone. After walking about a block, I saw an open shoe store. I
walked inside and asked if I could use their telephone book. Not finding a
listing for the Barber College, I picked out the number of a local beauty
salon, hoping they might tell me if the barber college was still around.
The number was busy, so I decided to wait and try again in a few minutes.
Hopefully, they had not gone out of business.
“It s a little cold. Mind if I wait inside and try my call in a few
minutes?” I asked the clerk.
“How about moving on down the road?” said the salesman, in a loud, harsh tone.
I turned to see if he was talking to me.
“Homeless guy always wanting to use our bathroom,” he replied.
I saw a poorly dressed man standing outside the store, gazing through the
large plate-glass window. The salesman motioned at the man, with his hand,
in a backward motion, telling him move on down the street.
Several more times I tried to dial the number, but it was continually busy.
“Like a cup of coffee?” the salesman asked me.
“That sounds great. Thanks.” I replied.
As he and I stood talking, the front door opened, and a young man of about
twenty came into the store, pushing himself in a wheelchair. The salesman
sat down his coffee cup and walked toward the young man.
“I need a new pair of shoes,” said the customer.
As he turned the corner, I saw there was a blanket across his lap. I was
shocked to see that the young man had no legs. The salesman stood there
having no idea what he should say.
“A gift for a friend?” I asked the boy.
“No, they are for me,” he replied, with a smile on his face.
I just smiled back and watched to see what would happen next.
“What type of shoe would you like?” asked the clerk.
“How bout a pair of cowboy boots. You got any cowboy boots in here?”
The man pointed to the back wall where three or four pairs of boots were
displayed.
“Let me have a look-see at those black ones in a size 10.”
The salesman, sharply turning, headed off to the backroom.
“Isn't this fun?” the boy asked me.
“You mean going into a shoe store, when you have no legs, and seeing the
response?” I replied.
“Of course not.”
I moved my hand to let him know that I did not understand his question.
“When I was a kid, my parents use to buy me a new pair of shoes every year.
That was such a wonderful feeling. Something I have never forgotten. The
smell of the leather and the pride I felt when I walked around the store
showing off my new shoes.”
The salesman came walking down the aisle with a large box. He sat it down
on the floor, took out a single boot and handed it to the young man. The
boy closed his eyes. Placed the boot against his nose, tilted his head
backwards, and drew in a large breath.
I did not know what to say, as tears began to fall on the young man's cheeks.
“What type of accident did you have?” I asked him.
“Farm accident,” he said, as he tried to clear his voice.
“Move on down the road!” yelled the salesman, as he once again motioned his
hand at the homeless fellow looking in the window.
The youngster looked at the old man, then turned to face me. “Will you walk
out there and see what size shoes that fellow wears?” he requested.
Slowly, I walked to the front door, opened it, and asked the old man to
come in.
“What size shoes do you wear?” the boy asked the man.
“I don t know,” he replied, as he looked down at his old tennis shoes.
“I would say about nine-and-a-half,” I replied.
“What s your best hiking boot in nine-and-a-half?” the boy asked the clerk.
The salesman turned and once again walked to the back of the store. The
homeless fellow stood there, looking down at the floor.
Within a minute, the clerk returned with a pair of hiking boots, the
insides lined with wool. The boy reached out, took the boot, placed it to
his nose and drew in a large breath. Once again, tears came to his eyes.
“Sir, would you mind trying on these boots for me?” the boy asked the old
fellow, as he held out the boot.
The old man sat down, slid off his tennis shoes, using his feet, and took
the boot. The boy motioned for the clerk to aid him. The salesman slid his
small, knee-high seat in front of the man and began tying the boot straps.
The old man's eyes never left the floor the entire time. After the boots
were tied, the young boy asked the gentleman if he would walk around, so
that he could see the boots at a distance.
“How do they feel?” he asked the man.
“They feel wonderful,” replied the man.
“I'll take `em,” the young boy told the clerk.
“Those are $189.00 boots,” the clerk advised the boy.
The boy pulled out his wallet and handed the clerk two one-hundred dollar
bills.
“Do you want the cowboy boots?” the salesman asked him.
“I don t think so,” replied the young man.
“Don t you have to use the bathroom?” I asked the old man.
He stood up and walked toward the back of the store. The clerk motioned his
head, giving him the okay.
“I see buying a new pair of shoes still gives you that good feeling you
talked about,” I told the young man, as I smiled.
“Yes it does,” he said. “And now I have someone to share it with.”
By Roger Dean Kiser
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Galatians 6:2-4 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of
Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing,
he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall
he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”
Matthew 18:1-4 “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child
unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto
you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself
as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
1 Chronicles 28:20 “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of
good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even
my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until
thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem172.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: RADICAL CHANGES
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony176.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
