FAITH IN GOD: Kindly, take time to read and to share
with your friends. Once in a small farming town in Oklahoma, there
lived a poor fourth grade boy named Andy who
would follow this route to school everyday: He had to cross the rugged plains and a dangerous
highway where vehicles recklessly drove to and fro.
Once past this highway, the boy would take a short
cut by passing by the Church every morning just to
prayers. He was being watched by the pastor who always found the boy’s sincerity and innocence so
uplifting in the morning. “Hello Andy, How are you today”, he would say
greeting the child. “I’m fine Pastor Thompson, How are you” …he
would say flashing his innocent grin. Seeing the way that Andy went to school the pastor
was so concerned; one day he talked to him. “From
school…”, he advised “do not cross the highway
alone, you can pass through the Church and then I
will accompany you to the other side of the road.
That way I can see that you get home safe….” “Thank you Pastor…” “Why don’t you go straight home … why do you
stay in this church right after school?” Andy replied, “I just want to say “Hi” to my friend,
Jesus,” so the pastor would leave the boy to spend
time praying by himself beside the altar, but one
day out of curiosity he hid behind the altar to listen
to what this boy had to say. “You know my math exam was pretty bad today,
but I did not cheat-although my seat mate was
bullying me for notes … you know, Dads had a bad
farming season so far this year so we don’t have
much food, but I ate some bread and drank my
water. Thank you for this! I saw a poor kitten who was hungry and I know
how he feels so I gave some of my bread to him…
funny but I am not that hungry… Look, this is my
last pair of shoes… I may have to walk barefoot
next week… you see this is about to be broken…
but it is okay…at least I am still able to go to school… some say we will have a hard season this
month, and some of my classmates have had to
stop going to school to help with the farms …
please help them get to school again, please
Jesus?… Oh, you know, Dad hit me again, it is
painful, but I know this pain will pass away, at least I still have a Dad … you want to see my bruises? I
know you can heal them … here… here
and….oh …blood. I guess you knew about this one,
huh? Please don’t be mad at Dad, he is just tired
and worries about putting food on our table and
my schooling that is why he hits me… Oh, I think I am in love… there’s this pretty girl in my class, her
name is Anita… do you think she will like me?
Anyway, at least I know you will always like me, I
don’t have to be anybody just to please you, you
are my very best friend! Hey your birthday is just one week from now!!!
Aren’t you excited? I am! Wait till you see, I have a gift for you…. but it
is a
surprise! I hope you will like it! oops, I have to
go…” Then he stood up and calls out, “Pastor, I am
finished talking to my friend…can you accompany
me to the other side of the road now”? This routine happened everyday. Andy never failed
to visit the church. Pastor Thompson shared this
every Sunday to the people in his church because
he had never before seen such pure faith and trust
in God, and such a very positive outlook in such
negative circumstances. The day before Christmas, Pastor Thompson
became very ill and was sent to the hospital. The
Church was left to a substitute Pastor who had little
patience for children or for any interruptions in his
work. He would not smile and could always find
fault in what other people were doing. On Christmas Day he was in the Pastor’s Study when
Andy, coming from his Christmas party, playfully
dashed into the church calling, “Hi Jesus!!!!!” “Who are you child and what are you doing in
here”, the pastor yelled out angrily. Poor Andy was so terrified. “Where’s Pastor
Thompson? He always helps me cross the street….
and not only that, I have to greet Jesus–it’s His
birthday, I have a gift right here….” Just as he was about to get the gift out of his shirt,
the pastor grabbed Andy by the shoulder and
pushed him out the door of the church. “I cannot be bothered right now I am preparing my
sermon for the Christmas service tonight. Also, next
time be more reverent when you come into the
church”, the man yelled as he closed the door
behind Andy. So the boy had no choice but to cross the
dangerous side of the road in front of the church by
himself. As he crossed a fast-moving bus came in.
There was a blind curve. The boy was protecting his
gift inside his shirt, so he was not looking. There
was so little time. Andy died on the spot. As people crowded around the body of the poor,
lifeless, young boy… Suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man appeared in a
pure white shirt and pants, a face so mild and
gentle, but with eyes full of tears… He came and carried the boy in His arms, He was
crying. Curious bystanders nudged the man in white, and
asked, “Excuse me sir, are you related to the child?
Do you know him?” The man in white, His face mourning and in agony,
answered, “He was my best friend .. ” was all he
said. He took the badly wrapped gift from the shirt
of the lifeless boy, and placed it near his heart. He
stood up and carried the boy away and they both
disappeared from sight. The crowd was curious… On New Years Eve, when Pastor Thompson returned
home from the hospital he learned of the shocking
news. He went to visit Andy’s parents, and to ask
them about the man in white he had been told
about. He consulted the parents of Andy. “How did
you first learn of your son’s death?” “A man in white brought him here.” Sobbed the
mother. “What did he say?” The father answered, “He did not say anything. He
was mourning. We do not know him and yet he
was very lonely at our son’s death, as if he knew
our son very well. But there was something
peaceful and unexplainable about him. He gave me
my son, and then he smiled peacefully. He rubbed my son’s hair away from his face and kissed him on
his forehead, then he whispered something…” “What did he say?” “He said to my boy…
” the father began,
“Thank you for the gift…
I will see you soon..
you will be with me…
” The father of the boy continued, “and you know for a while, it felt so wonderful…
I cried, but I do not know why….
all I know is I cried tears of joy…
I could not explain it, but when that man left,
something peaceful came over me, I felt a deep
sense of love inside… I could not explain the joy in my heart, I know my
boy is in heaven now.. but… tell me, who was this man who my son talked to everyday in
your church, you should know because you are
always there… except at the time of his death…” Pastor Thompson suddenly felt the tears welling in
his eyes, with trembling knees, he murmured, “He was talking to Jesus…” If you love this story, please. share this on to your
friends. So you can touch others too…..
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét