I have been thinking of this all week. I just heard about a business man that has about 8 employees and he was going to have to cut back two of them. This businessman's son works for him. They have agonized over it for weeks. Finally the son decided he not take his salary rather than lay these two employees off.
I'm certainly no theological expert. But I have come to believe that these two examples are what God wants us to do. Religion sometimes puts too much emphisis on rule following and not enough on Christ-Like Behavior. Yes, there are rules that must be followed, but more so God's work is in helping people that need us.
For instance, if a person had the gift from God of healing. I can't believe that God would want the person on TV making money with it. The true gifted person would be the orderly in the Children's hospital that nobody notices, going around patting people on the back and healing them. We dont have the giftof healing, but some have the gift of a little extra. I believe God will bless this man in Rem's post.
There is nothing but benifit from helping out those that need it and walking the Walk. Faith without works is dead.
This was posted on my site and ilustrates this.
Breakfast at McDonald's
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the
end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my
college degree.
The last class I had to take was Sociology.
The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every
human being had been graced with.
Her last project of the term was called, "Smile."
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their
reactions.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello
anyway. So, I thought thi s would be a piece of cake, literally.
Soon after we we re assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I
went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden
everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.
I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside
of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and
there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was
"smiling".
His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for
acceptance..
He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been
clutching.
The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I
realized the second man was menta lly challenged and the blue-eyed
gentleman was his salvation.
As I held my tears as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.
He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could
afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to
buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out
and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.
That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging
my every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more
breakfast meals on a separate tray.
I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a
resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the bl
ue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.
He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank
you."
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for
you. God is here working through me to give you hope."
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat
down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to
me, Honey, to give me hope."
We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of
the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.
We are not church goers, but we are believers.
That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in
hand.
I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it.
Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?"
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.
She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being
part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor,
and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a
college student.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn
No matter your religion, faith, or belief system. You may not even believe in a god. Still there is nothing but good in helping folks out.
