Menial Chores: Stumbling Blocks Or Stepping Stones...

MENIAL CHORES CAN BE STUMBLING BLOCKS OR STEPPING STONES…

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Two part)

*Stumbling block: an obstacle to progress, a problem that is in the way of advancement, a circumstance that causes difficulty or hesitation.

*Stepping stone: to help make progress, a way to advance, a raised stone placed on which to step in muddy, wet areas.

QUESTION: CAN A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A STEPPING STONE BE THE SAME STONE?

DO WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A STEPPING STONE? Can the same rock be a stumbling block and a stepping stone? Perhaps the real battle is THE ATTITUDE IN WHICH WE APPROACH THE STONE?

A new young man was elected pastor in a large city. The new pastor rode a city bus to and from the church. Every day the pastor invited the bus driver to come to church and worship with them. The bus driver was skeptical and refused the invitations. Several weeks the pastor invited the young man please come to church. One day the pastor boarded the bus and gave the driver a dollar. The bus driver gave the pastor too much change… The pastor sat in his normal seat and counted the change. The pastor rode to the destination. As he got off the bus, he turned and said: SIR, YOU GAVE ME TOO MUCH CHANGE. The driver looked the pastor in the eye and said: I WILL BE AT CHURCH SUNDAY, AND EVERY SUNDAY AFTER THAT. The pastor said: WHY? WHY NOW AFTER REFUSING MY INVITATIONS BEFORE? The driver said: SIR, PASTOR, I DELIBERATELY GAVE YOU TOO MUCH CHANGE AS A TEST TO SEE IF YOU WERE AN HONEST MAN. YOU PASSED THE TEST. I WILL BE AT CHURCH SUNDAY!

THE QUESTION IS NOT JUST DO YOU TRUST GOD? … THERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION: CAN GOD TRUST YOU?

The president of a bank was very interested in helping this young man advance in his career. They often ate lunch together in a huge cafeteria. Several days the banker saw the young man steal several packages of mayonnaise or ketchup. The packages only cost a nickel each. The young man would slip the condiments in his pocket to keep from paying for them. The older man would watch him stealing. After a week of watching the trainee steal the little packets

the president called the young man into his office. The president of the bank dismissed the young man. The young man was very angry. The president said: I SAW YOU STEAL CONDIMENTS FIVE DAYS IN A ROW… The young man said: SIR, THE CONDIMENTS WAS LESS THAN A DOLLAR. You are going to fire me for less than a dollar? The banker said that would be almost $100.00 a year… IF YOU CAN’T BE TRUSTED IN THE LITTLE, YOU CAN’T BE TRUSTED WITH MUCH. IF YOU ARE DISHONEST AND HIDE LITTLE THINGS… YOU WILL BE DISHONEST IN LARGE THINGS… YOU HAVE TO BE TRUSTED…

THE TEST OF LITTLE THINGS WILL REVEAL YOUR HEART… WILL THIS BE A STUMBLING BLOCK OR A STEPPING STONE… IT IS UP TO YOU MY FRIEND…

Luke 16: 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN? THERE WAS A VERY LARGE CHURCH, A MEGA CHURCH WITH A PROFESSIONAL STAFF.

The HEAD PASTOR hired this wonderfully talented young Bible School graduate to prove himself. The young man graduated the first in his class and came with a high recommendation of the president of the Bible school. The young man demanded a big salary. After discussion the board agreed on the terms.

The pastor required all the staff to be at the church on Sunday morning. The church was building a million dollar sanctuary and was meeting in the huge all-purpose building. So on Sunday morning all the staff gathered and prayed and then sat up the chairs… The pastor and the whole crew worked sitting up the chairs. The good looking smart new hire went and sat on the podium and just sat there. After a while the pastor noticed the young man just sitting there watching everyone else work.

The old pastor asked the young preacher: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? The new hire looked at the pastor and said: SITTING UP CHAIRS IS NOT IN MY JOB DESCRIPTION… I REFUSE TO SIT UP CHAIRS THAT IS BELOW MY TALENT LEVEL.

The pastor said do you see me and all the staff sitting up chairs? The pastor looked at the young man with a tear in his eye and said: SIR, YOU ARE FIRED and TERMINATED BEFORE YOUR FIRST SERVICE. IF YOU CAN’T HELP US SIT UP CHAIRS