Pam Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 THOUGHT PROVOKING STORY.... If you can, take a minute to read this story. It has a wonderful message. 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. Well, as such things go, one thing led to another. The sales manager went longer than anticipated and the meeting ran overtime. Their flights were scheduled to leave out of Chicago's O'Hare Airport, and they had to race pell mell to the airport. With tickets in hand, they barged through the terminal to catch their flight back home. In their rush, with tickets and brief-cases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of baskets 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 goodbye, 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 into the baskets, and helped set the display up once more. 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 $20 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. 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 we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Let's start living like we are worth the price He paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyb Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Pam, I have chills running through my body after reading this. Thank you for sharing this very touching story. Much love and peace, Shirley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe B Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 This is interesting ... I just heard a sermon on God's grace by Pastor Adrian Rodgers (I think- may have beenWoodroll Kroll). He stated that grace isnt what most people think...it isnt a high paying job, that perfect house, great friends and relationships, or even perfect health... those are instances of God mercy & blessings that He does bestow at times... but God's Grace is the gift or transforming each of us into the image of Christ..... that is the ultimate reward from God - that we become examples of Christ in our lives.....we are made righteous (Justified) by our belief in His death & Resurrection and then we are sanctified through our service and submission to His will ... the transforming of our spirits to be Christ like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 Pam, Very touching and well written. Without asking them ''Are you Jesus'' I am sure each of us met somebody in our life that was very near it. Thank you J.C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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