Leadership Magazine Carried This Story About 4 ...

LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE CARRIED THIS STORY ABOUT 4 YOUNG, BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS, WHO WERE RENTING A HOUSE TOGETHER. “ONE SATURDAY MORNING SOMEONE KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR AND WHEN THEY OPENED IT, THERE STOOD THIS BEDRAGGLED-LOOKING OLD MAN. HIS EYES WERE KIND OF MARBLEIZED, AND HE HAD A SILVERY STUB OF WHISKERS ON HIS FACE. HIS CLOTHES WERE RAGGED AND TORN. HIS SHOES DIDN’T MATCH. IN FACT, THEY WERE BOTH FOR THE SAME FOOT AND HE CARRIED A WICKER BASKET FULL OF UNAPPEALING VEGETABLES THAT HE WAS TRYING TO SELL. THE BOYS FELT SORRY FOR HIM AND BOUGHT SOME OF HIS VEGETABLES JUST TO HELP HIM OUT. THEN HE WENT ON HIS WAY. BUT FROM THAT TIME ON, EVERY SATURDAY HE APPEARED AT THEIR DOOR WITH HIS BASKET OF VEGETABLES. AS THE BOYS GOT TO KNOW HIM A LITTLE BETTER, THEY BEGAN INVITING HIM IN TO VISIT BEFORE CONTINUING ON HIS ROUNDS. THEY SOON DISCOVERED THAT HIS EYES LOOKED MARBLEIZED, NOT BECAUSE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, BUT BECAUSE OF CATARACTS. THEY LEARNED THAT HE LIVED JUST DOWN THE STREET IN AN OLD SHACK. THEY ALSO FOUND OUT THAT HE COULD PLAY THE HARMONICA, AND THAT HE LOVED TO PLAY CHRISTIAN HYMNS, & THAT HE REALLY LOVED GOD. SO EVERY SATURDAY THEY WOULD INVITE HIM IN, & HE WOULD PLAY HIS HARMONICA AND THEY WOULD SING CHRISTIAN HYMNS TOGETHER. THEY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS, AND THE BOYS BEGAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO HELP HIM. ONE SATURDAY MORNING, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THEIR SINGING AND PRAISING, HE SUDDENLY SAID TO THEM, "GOD IS SO GOOD!" AND THEY ALL AGREED, "YES, GOD IS SO GOOD." HE WENT ON, "YOU KNOW WHY HE IS SO GOOD?" THEY SAID, "WHY?" HE SAID, "BECAUSE YESTERDAY, WHEN I GOT UP AND OPENED MY DOOR, THERE WERE BOXES FULL OF CLOTHES AND SHOES, COATS AND GLOVES. GOD IS SO GOOD!" AND THE BOYS SMILED AT EACH OTHER AND CHIMED IN, "YES, GOD IS SO GOOD."HE WENT ON TO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHY HE IS SO GOOD?" THEY ANSWERED, "YOU ALREADY TOLD US WHY." AND HE SAID, "BECAUSE I FOUND A FAMILY WHO COULD USE THOSE THINGS, AND I GAVE THEM ALL AWAY."

From Gene Edwards’ Sermon: Faith, Finances, and Fleecing