Only a Quarter

[Dale Smith]

  IT WAS ONLY A QUARTER

  SEVERAL YEARS AGO, A PREACHER FROM OUT-OF-STATE ACCEPTED A
CALL TO A CHURCH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

  SOME WEEKS AFTER HE ARRIVED, HE HAD AN OCCASION TO RIDE
THE BUS FROM HIS HOME TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. WHEN HE SAT DOWN
, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER HAD ACCIDENTALLY GIVEN HIM A
QUARTER TOO MUCH CHANGE.

  AS HE CONSIDERED WHAT TO DO, HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, "YOU'D
BETTER GIVE THE QUARTER BACK. IT WOULD BE WRONG TO KEEP IT."
THEN HE THOUGHT, "OH, FORGET IT, IT'S ONLY A QUARTER. WHO
WOULD WORRY ABOUT THIS LITTLE AMOUNT?

  ANYWAY, THE BUS COMPANY GETS TOO MUCH FARE; THEY WILL
NEVER MISS IT.

  ACCEPT IT AS A 'GIFT FROM GOD' AND KEEP QUIET."

  WHEN HIS STOP CAME, HE PAUSED MOMENTARILY AT THE DOOR, AND
THEN HE HANDED THE QUARTER TO THE DRIVER AND SAID, "HERE,
YOU GAVE ME TOO MUCH CHANGE."

  THE DRIVER, WITH A SMILE, REPLIED, "AREN'T YOU THE NEW
PREACHER IN TOWN?

  I HAVE BEEN THINKING A LOT LATELY ABOUT GOING SOMEWHERE TO
WORSHIP. I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF I GAVE
YOU TOO MUCH CHANGE.  I'LL SEE YOU AT CHURCH ON SUNDAY."

  WHEN THE PREACHER STEPPED OFF OF THE BUS, HE LITERALLY
GRABBED THE NEAREST LIGHT POLE, HELD ON, AND SAID, "OH GOD,
I ALMOST SOLD YOUR SON FOR A QUARTER." OUR LIVES ARE THE
ONLY BIBLE SOME PEOPLE WILL EVER READ.

  THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW MUCH PEOPLE WATCH US AS
CHRISTIANS AND WILL PUT US TO THE TEST! ALWAYS BE ON GUARD
AND REMEMBER THAT YOU CARRY THE NAME OF CHRIST ON YOUR
SHOULDERS WHEN YOU CALL YOURSELF "CHRISTIAN."

  WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS; THEY BECOME WORDS.
  WORDS HAVE LIFE-FORCE.  GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE LIGHT,AND
THERE WAS LIGHT" Genesis 1:3.

  WATCH YOUR WORDS; THEY BECOME ACTIONS.

  WATCH YOUR ACTIONS; THEY BECOME HABITS.

  WATCH YOUR HABITS; THEY BECOME CHARACTER.

  WATCH YOUR CHARACTER; IT BECOMES YOUR DESTINATION, GOOD OR
BAD.

YOUR LIFE (GOOD OR BAD) IS A SUM TOTAL OF YOUR DECISIONS -
WHICH ARE BASED SOLELY ON YOUR WORDS, THOUGHTS, ACTIONS,
HABITS AND CHARACTER  THAT, MY FRIEND, DETERMINES YOUR
"DESTINATION" OR DESTINY.

[Judy Harder]

Thank you Dale,

I had read this before and it still grabs me by the throat.

[Catwoman]

Dale,  I love this post.  There are absolutely no coincidences in this life...you are always where you are supposed to be, to make a difference in either your life or someone else's life...I am a firm believer that we are put here to bring others and ourselves to a greater degree of perfection...yeah, I know...not a typical Christian view.  However, I have always had a sneaking suspicion that if I don't get what needs to be learned here the first time, I just might be doomed to have to repeat this experience...GOD FORBID!!!!!!!  I don't want to have any more chances to screw up! lol