1 Chronicles 29:9 (NIV)
The people rejoiced at the willing response of their
leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the
king also rejoiced greatly.
Bill was a big, awkward, homely guy. He dressed oddly
with ill-fitting clothes. There were several fellows who thought it smart to
make fun of him.
One day one fellow noticed a small tear in his shirt and
gave it a small rip. Another worker in the factory added his bit, and before
long there was quite a ribbon dangling. Bill went on about his work and as he
passed too near a moving belt the shirt strip was sucked into the machinery. In
a split second the sleeve and Bill was in trouble.
Alarms were sounded, switches pulled, and trouble was
avoided. The foreman, however, aware of what had happened, summoned the men and
related this story:
"In my younger days I worked in a small factory.
That's when I first met Mike. He was big and witty, was always making jokes,
and playing little pranks. Mike was a leader. Then there was Pete who was a
follower. He always went along with Mike. And then there was a man named Jake.
"He was a little older than the rest of us quiet,
harmless, apart. He always ate his lunch by himself. He wore the same patched
trousers for three years straight. He never entered into the games we played at
noon, wrestling, horse shoes and such. He appeared to be indifferent, always
sitting quietly alone under a tree instead. Jake was a natural target for
practical jokes.
"He might find a live frog in his dinner pail, or a
dead rodent in his hat. But he always took it in good humor. Then one Fall when
things were slack, Mike took off a few days to go hunting. Pete went along, of
course. And they promised all of us that if they got anything they'd bring us
each a piece.
"So we were all quite excited when we heard that
they'd returned and that Mike had got a really big buck. We heard more than
that. Pete could never keep anything to himself, and it leaked out that they
had real whopper to play on Jake.
"Mike had cut up the critter and had made a nice
package for each of us. And, for the laugh, for the joke of it, he had saved
the ears, the tail, the hoofs it would be so funny when Jake unwrapped them.
"Mike distributed his packages during the noon hour.
We each got a nice piece, opened it, and thanked him. The biggest package of
all he saved until last. It was for Jake. Pete was all but bursting; and Mike
looked very smug. Like always, Jake sat by himself; he was on the far side of
the big table. Mike pushed the package over to where he could reach it; and we
all sat and waited.
"Jake was never one to say much. You might never
know that he was around for all the talking he did. In three years he'd never
said a hundred words. So we were all quite astounded with what happened next.
He took the package firmly in his grip and rose slowly to his feet. He smiled
broadly at Mike and it was then we noticed that his eyes were glistening. His
Adam's apple bobbed up and down for a moment and then he got control of
himself.
"'I knew you wouldn't forget me,' he said
gratefully; 'I knew you'd come through! You're big and you're playful, but I
knew all along that you had a good heart.'
"He swallowed again, and then took in the rest of
us. 'I know I haven't seemed too chummy with you men; but I never meant to be
rude. You see, I've got nine kids at home and a wife that's been an invalid
bedfast now for four years. She ain't ever going to get any better. And
sometimes when she's real bad off, I have to sit up all night to take care of
her. And most of my wages have had to go for doctors and medicine. The kids do all
they can to help out, but at times it's been hard to keep food in their mouths.
"Maybe you think it's funny that I go off by myself
to eat my dinner. Well, I guess I've been a little ashamed, because I don't
always have anything between my sandwich. Or like today maybe there's only a
raw turnip in my pail. But I want you to know that this meat really means a lot
to me. Maybe more than to anybody here because tonight my kids . . .' he wiped
the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, '. .tonight my kids will
have a really ..'
"He tugged at the string. We'd been watching Jake so
intently we hadn't paid much notice to Mike and Pete. But we all noticed them
now, because they both dove at once to try to grab the package. But they were
too late. Jake had broken the wrapper and was already surveying his present. He
examined each hoof, each ear, and then he held up the tail. It wiggled limply.
It should have been so funny, but nobody laughed nobody at all.
"But the hardest part was when Jake looked up and
said 'Thank you' while trying to smile. Silently one by one each man moved
forward carrying his package and quietly placed it in front of Jake for they
had suddenly realized how little their own gift had really meant to them . . .
until now . . .
"This was where the foreman left the story and the
men. He didn't need to say anymore; but it was gratifying to notice that as
each man ate his lunch that day, they shared part with Bill and one fellow even
took off his shirt and gave it to him."
Dear Lord, help us show Your love today. Help our eyes be
opened so that we can see beyond the present and see the real person that is
before us today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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