Stories for the heart : 110 stories to encourage your soul

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GRAHAM CHICK

1 1

Stories to

SW1ND0LL

Encourage Your Soul

COMPIIEDBY

AND A^s WHOLE LOT MORE

ALICE ORAr '

$22.00

&aJ/& Ju^uwdv Tony Campolo was asked to be a counselor in a junior high camp. Everybody ought to be a counselor in a junior high camp just once. A junior high kid's concept of a good time is picking on people. And in this particular case, at this

I

—

particular

camp, there was a

little

name was

cerebral palsy. His

boy

who was

And

Billy.

suffering

from

they picked on him.

Oh, they picked on him. As he walked

across the

camp

with his uncoordinated body they would line up and imitate his grotesque

movements.

watched him one day

I

his

then they laughed at him.

my

. . .

. . .

same awful stammer,

in that

he was

"Which way is the craft shop ?" mouth contorting. And the boys mimicked

asking for direction.

he stammered,

as

I

"It's

was

. . .

over

. . .

. . .

. . .

there

. . .

Billy."

And

irate.

when on Thursday morning it was Billy's cabin's turn to give devotions. I won* dered what would happen, because they had appointed Billy to be the speaker. I knew that they just wanted to get him up But

there to

furor reached

its

highest pitch

make fun of him. As he dragged

his

way

you could hear the giggles rolling over the crowd. tie Billy

. . .

When

loves

he

. . .

me

. . .

and

. . .

finished, there

I

. . .

love

was dead

. .

took

lit'

.Jesus."

silence.

I

shoulder and saw junior high boys bawling

place.

It

almost five minutes to say seven words.

"Jesus

my

to the front,

looked over all

over the

A revival broke out in that camp after Billy's short tes-

timony.

And

as

I

travel all over the world,

and preachers who

say,

that junior high camp."

"Remember me?

We

was converted

counselors had

at

tried everything

We even imported basewhose batting averages had gone up since they

to get those kids interested in Jesus. ball players

find missionaries

I I

ENCOURAGEMENT

had

He

But

started praying.

God

63

chose not to use the superstars.

chose a kid with cerebral palsy to break the

spirits

of the

haughty. He's that kind of God.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE Nancy

O God of Second Chances and

New Beginnings,

Here

I

am again.

Spiegelberg

^^ *—~

ACT MEDIUM Leslie B.

The tie

children worked long and hard

cardboard shack.

house

It

on

their

was to be a special spot

—where they could meet

in

Flynn

own

—a

lit*

club-

solemn assembly or

and fool around. As they thought long and hard about their rules, they came up

just laugh, play games,

with three rather perceptive ones:

2.

Nobody Nobody

3.

Everybody act medium.

1

act big.

act small.

VIRTUES

67

Dale Galloway fella. One day he mother he'd like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, I wish he wouldn't do that! because she had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thir-

Chad was

Little

a shy, quiet young

came home and

told his

cy-five valentines.

Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he would be disappointed... maybe that would ease the pain a little. It hurt her to think that he wouldn't get many valentines maybe none at all. That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. Valentine's

excitement!

He

—

When

she heard the children outside she looked out the win*

dow. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time.

walked a

And,

was Chad in the

as always, there

little faster

than usual. She

fully

rear.

He

expected him to

burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty,

she noticed, and

when

the door opened she choked back the

tears.

"Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you." But he hardly heard her words.

and all he could "Not a one ...not a one."

by, his face aglow,

He

just

say was:

marched

right

on

STORIES FOR THE HEART

68

And

then he added,

"I

didn't forget a one, not a single

—$h CHOOSING Victor E. Franld

Dr. Victor E. Frankl, survivor of three grim years at

Auschwitz and other Nazi prisons, has recorded observations

We who ber the

on

life

in Hitler's camps:

lived in concentration

men who walked

others, giving

been few

in

away

of the

any given way.

camps can remem-

through the huts comforting

their last piece of bread.

number, but they

—

human freedoms

They have

offer sufficient proof that

everything can be taken from a last

his

man

but one thing: the

to choose one's attitude in

set of circumstances, to

choose one's

own

VIRTUES

69

Gary SmaUey and John Trent e

know a wealthy couple

in Dallas

who have

really

struggled with teaching their children servant-

hood. For one thing, the kids have had almost whatever they've wanted

tomed to others meeting sounded

like

The

something from the Middle Ages... or Mars.

father in that family realized he was getting a late

but hey,

start,

A

They've become so accus-

for years.

their needs that the idea of "serving"

it

week or

was better than no

start at all!

so before the holidays, he said to his family,

"We're going to do something different

this

Thanksgiving."

His teenagers sat up and listened. Usually things like that

it

meant something

when he

said

exotic. Like para-sailing

Bahamas. But not this time. "We're going to go down to the mission," he told them, "and we're going to serve Thanksgiving in the

dinner to some poor and homeless people."

"We're going to what?"

"Come

on, Dad, you're kidding...aren't you? Tell us you're

kidding."

He

wasn't.

insistence, but

their

he

Dad had

just

What

They went along with it because of his firm no one was happy about it. For some reason

"gotten weird" and apparently

had to get out of

if

their friends heard about

No

it

was something

his system. Serving at the mission! it?

one could have predicted what happened that day. And no one in the family could remember when they had a better time together. They hustled around the kitchen, dished up turkey and dressing, sliced pumpkin pie and refilled countless coffee cups. They clowned around with the little kids and listened to old folks tell stories of Thanksgivings long ago and far away.

STORIES FOR THE HEART

70

The dad

in the family

believe stunned?) by the

was thoroughly pleased (would you

way

his kids responded.

But nothing

him for their request a few weeks later. "Dad. ..we want to go back to the mission and serve

could have prepared

Christmas dinner!"

And they did. As the kids hoped, they met some of the same people they'd become acquainted with at Thanksgiving. One needy family in particular had been on their minds, and they all lit up when they saw them back in the chow line again. Since that time, the families have had several contacts. The pampered

teenagers have rolled up their sleeves more

than once to serve the family from one of Dallas's poorer neighborhoods.

There was a marked but subtle change kids didn't

seem

in that

home. The

to be taking things for granted anymore.

Their parents found them more serious. ..more responsible. Yes,

it

was a

late start.

But

it

was a

start.

HK-

VIRTUES

71

Retold by Kris

Gray

nee there was an old and very wise man. Every day

O: I

he would sit outside a gas station in his rocking chair and wait to greet motorists as they passed through his

small town.

On this day,

his granddaughter knelt

As they sat and watched man who surely had to be a in the

at the

and slowly passed the time with him.

foot of his chair

one

down

town

the people

—

come and go, a tall knew every'

since they

tourist

—began looking around

as if

he were check'

ing out the area for a place to live.

The

and asked, "So what kind of town

this that we're in?"

is

stranger walked up

man and

older gentleman slowly turned to the

The

replied, "Well,

what kind of town are you from?" The tourist said, "In the town I'm from everyone is very critical of each other. The neighbors all gossip about everyone, and it's a real negative place to

live.

ful place."

said,

I'm sure glad to be leaving.

The man

"You know,

An

that's just

hour or so

stopped for

gas.

how

this

town

and

is."

was also passing through

later a family that

The

not a very cheer'

It is

in the chair looked at the stranger

car slowly turned in and rolled to a stop

where the older gentleman and his granddaughter were sitting. The mother jumped out with two small children in front of

and asked where the restrooms were. The man

in the chair

pointed to a small, bent-up sign that was barely hanging by

one car

nail

and

to live?"

on the

side of the door.

also asked the

The man

you are from? "Well, in the

man,

The

"Is this

father stepped out of the

town a

pretty

good place

"What about the town looked at him and said,

in the chair replied,

How

is it?**

The

father

town I'm from everyone

is

very close and always

willing to lend their neighbor a helping hand. There's always a

STORIES FOR THE HEART

72

hello

and thank you everywhere you

go.

1

really hate to leave.

The older gentlemen turned to the father and gave him a warm smile. "You know, that's a lot like this small town." Then the family returned to 1

feel

almost like

we

are leaving family."

the car, said their thank yous, waved goodbye and drove away.

After the family was in the distance, the granddaughter looked up at her grandfather and asked, "Grandpa,

when

the

first

man came

terrible place to live

told

them

it

how come

town you told him it was a and when the family came in to town you into our

live?" The grandfather down at his granddaughter's wondering blue "No matter where you move, you take your own

was a wonderful place to

lovingly looked

eyes and said, attitude with

you and

that's

ful."

-•-r

what makes

it

terrible or

wonder-

VIRTUES

3we

73

G>jfi&wnesi/ Catherine Marshall Retold by Marilyn K.

atherine Marshall

tells

of the time she decided to do a

one-day experiment. Oh, for her.

You

of us. She found

morning

it

see,

McAuley

it

really

was an eye-opener

she had a problem

too easy to be

critical

common

to most

of others. Well, one

on the verse, "So don't criticize (Romans 14:13, TLB) she became aware

as she meditated

each other anymore,'*

of the Lord nudging her to not be critical for one day.

Of course

she tried to shove

it off.

But she couldn't get

out of her mind. So she tried to rationalize her tude. After

all,

aren't

we

to use the intelligence

it

critical atti-

God

gave us

and evaluate—even though the result is not always positive? The nudging continued right through the debate going on in her mind until she finally agreed to give the experiment a try but just for the one day would she fast from to analyze

—

criticism.

Through most of the morning she kept wondering what the result would be at the end of the day.

husband and friends was normal except

The lunch with

—Catherine. She had not committed

of one person just to

not

criticizing. It surprised

her conversation was usually

her to realize

critical

her

for the unusual silence

to silence,

how much

of

and judgmental. She was

silent only because she couldn't contribute to the conversa-

tion without judging. So, she kept quiet and notice. It

no one seemed

to

A sting to the pride as well.

wasn't until mid-afternoon that something special began

to happen.

The

floodgate of ideas began to open and creative

thoughts flowed through in a way she hadn't experienced in a long time.

At day's end

she marveled at

all

because she refused to entertain a

that

had transpired simply

critical attitude.

A letter to

74

STORIES FOR THE HEART

encourage a friend, insight into praying for a college student, seeking her child's forgiveness,

all filtered

through her freely

because there were no negative thoughts to stop them. Catherine's one^day experiment

—a

became

a lifetime habit.

VIRTUES

75

Charles Colson

The

young people

at Shively Christian

Church, led at

the time by Youth Pastor Dave Stone, were fiercely

competitive with their neighbor, Shively Baptist, in all things,

especially softball.

They were also serious about summer Bible camp

their Christianity, faithfully attending the

led by the youth pastor.

One week

the Bible lesson was about Jesus washing His

from John 13. To make the servanthood lesson Pastor Stone divided the kids into groups and told them

disciples* feet, stick,

and find a practical way to be servants. "I want you to be Jesus in the city for the next two hours," he said. "If Jesus were here, what would He do? Figure out how He would help people." Two hours later the kids reconvened in Pastor Stone's liv* to go out

room

ing

One

to report

what they had done.

group had done two hours of yard work for an elderly

man. Another group bought ice cream treats and delivered them to several widows in the church. A third group visited a church member in the hospital and gave him a card. Another group went to a nursing home and sang Christmas carols yes,

Christmas carols in the middle of August.

ident remarked that

it

One

elderly res-

was the warmest Christmas she could

remember.

But when the fifth group stood up and reported what they had done, everyone groaned. This group had made its way to none other than their arch rival, Shively Baptist, where they had asked the pastor if he knew someone who needed help. The pastor sent them to the home of an elderly woman who needed yard work done. There, for two hours, they mowed grass, raked the yard, and trimmed hedges.

When

they were getting ready to leave, the

woman

called

STORIES FOR THE HEART

76

the group together and thanked

don't

know how

I

them

for their

hard work.

"I

could get along without you," she told

them. "You kids at Shively Baptist are always coming to

my

rescue." "I sure hope and told her you were from Shively

"Shively Baptistl" interrupted Pastor Stone.

you

set her straight

Christian

Church."

"Why, no, we

didn't," the kids said.

mattered."

•

it=3

"We

didn't think

it

VIRTUES

77

Charles Alien

N

ot far from Lincoln, Kansas, stands a strange group of

A guy named Davis, a farmer and self' made man, had them erected. He began as a lowly hand and by sheer determination and frugality he mangravestones.

hired

aged to amass a considerable fortune in his lifetime. In the process, however, the fanner did not

was he close to his

make many

wife's family, since

friends.

Nor

they thought she had

married beneath her dignity. Embittered, he vowed never to leave his in-laws a thin dime.

When

an elaborate statue in her memory. He hired a sculptor to design a monument which showed both her and him at opposite ends of a love seat. He his wife died, Davis erected

was so pleased with the statue

—

this

result that

he commissioned another

time of himself, kneeling at her grave, placing a

That impressed him so greatly that he planned a monument, this time of his wife kneeling at his future gravesite, depositing a wreath. He had the sculptor add a pair of wings on her back, since she was no longer alive, giving her wreath on

it.

third

the appearance of an angel. spent no

less

One

idea led to another until he'd

than a quarter million dollars on the monuments

to himself and his wife!

Whenever someone from the town would suggest he might be interested in a community project (a hospital, a park and swimming pool for the children, a municipal building, etc.), the old miser would frown, set his jaw, and shout back, "What's this town ever done for me? I don't owe this town nothin'!"

After using up pursuits,

all his

resources

John Davis died

at 92, a

on stone

statues

and

selfish

grim faced resident of the

poorhouse. But his monuments.. .it's strange.... Each one slowly sinking into the Kansas

soil, fast

is

becoming victims of

STORIES FOR THE HEART

78

time, vandalism, and neglect.

Monuments

reminders of a self-centered, unsympathetic

of spite. Sad

life.

There

is

a

certain poetic justice in the fact that within a few years, they will all

be gone.

Oh, by the way, very few people attended Mr. Davis* funeral. It

is

reported that only one person seemed genuinely

moved by any

sense of personal

England... the tombstone salesman.

-Mj

loss.

He was Horace

VIRTUES

79

Annie Paden London's wonderful

Jack of an

classic,

White Fang,

tells

the story

animal, half dog-half wolf, as he survives his

the wild and then learns to live

among men. There

story in particular that has left a lasting impression

life is

in

one

on my

heart.

White Fang was very fond of chickens and on one occasion raided a chicken-roost and killed

fifty

hens. His master,

whom White

Fang saw as man-God and him and then took him into the chicken yard. When White Fang saw his favorite food walking around right in front of him he obeyed his natural impulse and lunged for a chicken. He was immediately checked by his master's voice. They stayed in the chicken yard for quite a while and every time White Fang made a move

Weeden

Scott,

"loved with single heart," scolded

toward a chicken his master's voice would stop him. In

way he learned what

his master

wanted

this

—he had learned

to

ignore the chickens.

Weeden chicken to lock

Scott's father argued that

killer,"

but

White Fang

Weeden

challenged

you "couldn't cure a

him and they agreed

in with the chickens all afternoon.

Locked in the yard and there deserted by the master, White Fang lay down and went to sleep. Once he got up and walked over to the trough for a drink of water. The chickens he calmly ignored. So far as he was concerned they did not exist. At four o'clock he executed a running jump, gained the roof of the chicken house and leaped to the ground outside, whence he sauntered gravely to the house.

Out of love and

He had

learned the law.

a desire to obey his master's will,

White Fang

STORIES FOR THE HEART

80

overcame

his natural, inborn desires.

He may

not have under-

stood the reason but he chose to bend his will to his master's.

Animal

stories

have a way of breaking your heart and often

reveal a profound truth. Fang's love life will

The

and devotion to

always be

full

simplicity

of "chickens."

whom will I serve?

-»-+*

and purity of White

his master help

What

me I

realize that

have to

settle

my is,

VIRTUES

81

J?^ iSwMw/i&jse aszt/me William E. Barton

(Unusual

typesetting from original text.)

Offices on a certain Millionaire, who hath There National Bank Building. the Second Floor of the his

is

First

And when he goeth up

to his Offices

he rideth

in the

when he goeth down, then he walketh. And he is an Haughty Man, who once was poor, and hath risen in the World. He is a Self-made Man who worshipeth Elevator, but

his maker.

And he

payeth his Rent regularly on the

first

day of the

month, and he considereth not that there are Human Beings who run the Elevators, and who Clean the Windows, hanging at a great height above the Sidewalk, and who shovel Coal into the furnaces under the Boilers. Neither doth he at Christmas time remember any of them with a Tip or a Turkey.

And

there

is

in that Building a Poor

Scrubbeth the Stairs and the Halls.

And he

Woman who

hath walked past

her often but hath never seen her until Recently. For his head

was high in the

Now

it

started to

air,

came

and he was thinking of More Millions. on a day that he left his Office, and

to pass

walk down the

Stairs.

And the Scrublady was halfway down; for she had begun at the top and was giving the stairs their First Onceover. And upon the topmost

Stair, in

Large Cake of Soap.

Now

a wet and soapy spot, there was a

And the Millionaire stepped on

it.

the foot which he set upon the Soap flew eastward

toward the sunrise, and the other foot started on an expedi-

own toward the going down of the Sun. And the down on the Topmost Step, but he did not remain there. As it had been his intention to Descend, so he tion of

its

Millionaire sat

STORIES FOR THE HEART

82

Descended, but not in the manner of his Original Design.

And

as he descended he struck each step with a sound had been a Drum.

And And

the Scrublady stood aside courteously, and

let

him

if it

go.

and considered whether he should rush into the Office of the Building and demand that the Scrublady should be fired; but he considered that if he should

at the

tell

bottom he

as

arose,

the reason there would be great Mirth

occupants of the Building.

among

the

And so he held his peace.

But since that day he taketh notice of the Scrublady, and passeth her with Circumspection.

For there

is

no one

so high or mighty that he can afford to

human beings. For a very Humble common bar of Yellow Soap can take the

ignore any of his fellow

Scrublady and a very

mind of a Great

Man

off his Business Troubles

with surprising

rapidity.

Wherefore, consider these things, and count not thyself too high above even the humblest of the children of God. Lest haply thou

come down from thy

place of pride and more by reason of thy Smiling in her Suds, and facing

walk off with thy bruises aching a suspicion that the Scrublady

is

little

the day's work the more cheerfully by reason of the fun thou hast afforded her.

For these are solemn days, and he that bringeth a smile to the face of a Scrublady hath not lived in vain.

_fc

VIRTUES

83

Retold by Alice

The

young man

sat alone

on the bus and most of the

time stared out the window. ties,

Gray

He was

in his mid-twen*

nice looking with a kind face. His dark blue shirt

matched the color of

his eyes. His hair

was short and neat. window and the

Occasionally he would look away from the

anxiety

on

young face touched the heart of the grand'

his

motherly woman sitting across the aisle. The bus was just approaching the outskirts of a small town when she was so

drawn to the young man that she scooted asked permission to After a few

sit

across the aisle

and

next to him.

moments of

small talk about the

warm

spring

weather, he blurted out, "IVe been in prison for two years. just got

out this morning and I'm going home."

I

His words

tumbled out as he told her he was raised in a poor but proud family and

how

his crime

had brought

his family

shame and

heartbreak. In the whole two years he had not heard from

them.

He knew

they were too poor to travel the distance to

where he had been in prison and uneducated to write.

He had

his parents probably felt too

stopped writing them

when no

answers came.

Three weeks before being released, he desperately wrote one more letter to his family. He told them how sorry he was for disappointing them and asked for their forgiveness. He went on to explain about being released from prison and that he would take the bus to

his

hometown

—the one

that goes right by the front yard of the house where he grew

up and where his parents still lived. In his letter, he would understand if they wouldn't forgive him.

He wanted give

him

forgiven

to

make

a signal that

said

he

it easy for them and so asked them to he could see from the bus. If they had

him and wanted him

to

come back home, they could

STORIES FOR THE HEART

84

tie

a white ribbon on the old apple tree that stood in the front

yard. If the signal wasn't there,

town and be out of their

he would stay on the

bus, leave

lives forever.

man became more and more anxious to the point he was afraid to look out the window because he was so sure there would be no ribbon. After listening to his story, the woman asked simply, As

the bus neared his street, the young

"Would it help if we traded seats and I'll sit near to the window and look for you?" The bus traveled a few more blocks and then she saw the tree. She gently touched the young man's shoulder and choking back tears said, "Look! Oh look!

The whole

tree

is

covered with white ribbons."

^vez&R&F*

' *

RESEMBLANCE Author unknown

We are most like beasts when we kill. We are most like men when we judge. We are most like God when we forgive.

VIRTUES

85

Norman Vincent Peak Reprinted with permission from

January

N

ew York

City,

where

I

J

968 Readers Digest

impressive at any time,

live, is

but as Christmas approaches,

it's

overwhelming.

Store windows blaze with light and color, furs and

Golden

jewels.

angels,

40

Wealth, power, opulence

feet tall,

hover over Fifth Avenue.

—nothing

in the world

can match

this fabulous display.

Through the gleaming canyons, people hurry to find lastgifts. Money seems to be no problem. If there's a prob-

minute lem, or

it's

that the recipients so often have everything they need

want that

it's

hard to find anything suitable, anything that

will really say, "I love you."

Last December, as Christ's birthday drew near, a stranger

problem. She had come from home and perfect her English. In return, she was willing to act as secretary, mind the grandchildren, do anything that was asked. She was just a girl

was faced with

just that

Switzerland to live in an American

in her late teens.

One

Her name was

Ursula.

of the tasks her employers gave Ursula was keeping

track of Christmas presents as they arrived. There were many,

and

would require acknowledgment. Ursula kept a faithful She was grateful to her American friends; she wanted to show her gratitude by giving them a Christmas present. But nothing that she could buy with her small allowance could compare with the gifts she was all

record, but with a growing concern.

recording daily. Besides, even without these that her employers already

At

seemed

had everything.

night, from her window, Ursula could see the

expanse of Central Park, and beyond the

gifts, it

city.

it

snowy

the jagged skyline of

Far below, in the restless streets, taxis hooted and

STORIES FOR THE HEART

86

winked red and green. It was so different from the Alps that at times she had to blink back of the homesickness she was careful never to show. It was

traffic lights

silent majesty of the

tears

in the solitude of her little

that a secret idea It

was almost

"It's true,"

came

spoke

as if a voice

said the voice, "that

much more than you far less. If

room, a few days before Christmas,

to Ursula.

you

many

clearly, inside

do. But surely there are

will think

about

this,

her head.

people in this city have

many who have

you may find a solution to

what's troubling you."

Ursula thought long and hard. Finally on her day

off,

which was Christmas Eve, she went to a great department store. She moved slowly along the crowded aisles, selecting and rejecting things in her mind. At last she bought something, and had it wrapped in gaily colored paper. She went out into the gray twilight and looked helplessly around. Finally, she went up to a doorman, resplendent in blue and gold. "Excuse me, please," she said in her hesitant English, "can you

me where to find a poor street P "A poor street, miss?" said the puzzled man. "Yes, a very poor street. The poorest in the city." The doorman looked doubtful. "Well, you might try Harlem. Or down in the Village. Or the Lower East Side, tell

maybe." the

But these names meant nothing to Ursula. She thanked doorman and walked along, threading her way through

the stream of shoppers until she "Please," she said, "can

you direct

came

me

to a tall policeman.

to a very poor street.. .in

Harlem?"

The policeman looked

at her sharply

"Harlem's no place for you, miss."

And

and shook his head. he blew his whistle

and sent the traffic swirling past. Holding her package carefully, Ursula walked on, head

bowed

against the sharp wind. If a street looked poorer than

VIRTUES

the one she was on, she took

slums she had heard about. "Please,

87

But none seemed

it.

Once

like the

woman,

she stopped a

where do the very poor people

But the

live?"

woman

gave her a hard stare and hurried on.

Darkness came

sifting

from the

sky.

Ursula was cold and

lost. She came to an interand stood forlornly on the corner. What she was trying to do suddenly seemed foolish, impulsive, absurd. Then,

discouraged and afraid of becoming section

through the bell.

traffic's roar,

she heard the cheerful tinkle of a

On the corner opposite, a Salvation Army man was mak-

ing his holiday traditional Christmas appeal.

At once of

life

Ursula

felt better;

The

Salvation

in Switzerland, too. Surely this

man

she wanted to know. She waited for the

Army was

her what

could

tell

light,

then crossed

over to him. "Can you help me? I'm looking for a baby. here a

present for the poorest baby

little

I

a part

can

find."

I

have

And

she

held up the package with the green ribbon and the gaily colored paper.

Dressed in gloves and overcoat a size too big for him, he seemed a very ordinary man. But behind his steel-rimmed glasses his eyes were kind. He looked at Ursula and stopped ringing his bell.

"A

"What sort of present?" he

little dress.

asked.

For a small, poor baby.

Do you know

of

one ?» "Oh,

yes,"

"Is it far

The

he

said.

away?

Salvation

said, "It's

I

"Of more than one, I'm

Army man wrinkled

almost six o'clock.

you want to wait, and you can you to a family in

afraid."

could take a taxi maybe?"

My

his forehead. Finally

relief will

show up then.

afford a dollar taxi ride,

I'll

he If

take

my own neighborhood who needs just about

everything."

"And they have a small baby?" "A very small baby." "Then," said Ursula

joyfully, "I wait!"

STORIES FOR THE HEART

88

The

substitute bell-ringer came.

A cruising taxi

slowed. In

welcome warmth, she told her new friend about herself, how she came to be in New York, what she was trying to do. He listened in silence, and the taxi driver listened too. When its

they reached their destination, the driver said, "Take your time, miss.

On ment

I'll

wait for you."

the sidewalk, Ursula stared up at the forbidding tene-

—

A

dark, decaying, saturated with hopelessness.

gust of

wind, iron-cold, stirred the refuse in the street and rattled the reeling ashcans.

"They

Army man said.

"Shall

live on the we go upr

third floor," the Salvation

But Ursula shook her head. "They would

and

this

is

hand. "Take

it

up

for

me,

who has everything." The taxi bore her

please.

swiftly

Say

Army man

it's

She

climbing the

someone

streets to lighted

tried to visualize the

stairs,

the knock, the

explanation, the package being opened, the dress It

thank me,

from... from

from the dark

ones, from misery to abundance.

Salvation

try to

not from me." She pressed the package into his

on the

baby.

was hard to do. Arriving at the apartment on Fifth Avenue where she

lived,

up.

she fumbled in her purse. But the driver flicked the flag

"No charge, miss." "No charger' echoed Ursula,

bewildered.

been paid." He smiled and drove away. Ursula was up early the next day. She set the table with special care. By the time she was finished, the family was awake, and there was all the excitement and laughter of Christmas morning. Soon the living room was a sea of gay dis"Don't worry," the driver

said. "I've

at her

carded wrappings. Ursula thanked everyone for the presents

she received. Finally, explain hesitantly

why

when

there was a

there seemed to be

told about going to the department store.

lull,

she began to

none from her. She She told about the

VIRTUES

Army man. She

Salvation

89

told about the taxi driver.

trust

himself to speak. "So you see," said

kindness in your name.

And

this

is

When

No

one seemed to Ursula, "I try to do

she was finished, there was a long silence.

my

Christmas present to

it

because ours was the

you."

How

do I know home where Ursula

We

were

like

all this?

lived.

I

know

Ours was the Christmas she shared.

many Americans,

so richly blessed that to this

child there seemed to be nothing she could add to material things

we

already had.

of far greater value: a carried out in our

Strange, isn't

sonal affect

city.

selfless giving.

so she offered something

name. it?

A

And

brought the true

And

the

from the heart, an act of kindness

shy Swiss

You would think

anyone.

with us

gift

all

spirit

yet,

girl,

alone in a great imper-

do would by trying to give away love, she that nothing she could

of Christmas into our

That was

all.

-+*

Ursula's secret

lives,

the spirit of

—and she shared

it

STORIES FOR THE HEART

90

Matthew Henry

M

atthew Henry

One

is

a well-known Bible commentator.

day he was robbed and that evening made the

following entry in his diary:

Let

me

first,

—

be thankful

because

I

was never robbed

before

second, because although they took

my third,

my

wallet they did not take

life

because although they took

and fourth, because

it

was

I

my

who was

-*-*^»

»^

i.

all, it

was not much

robbed, not

'

I

who

robbed.

VIRTUES

91

71m Hansel

Q I

ne semester, a seminary professor set up his preaching class in an unusual way. He scheduled his students to

Good Samaritan and on he choreographed his experiment so that each student would go, one at a time, from one classroom to another where he or she would preach a sermon. The profespreach on the Parable of the

the day of the

class,

some students ten minutes

sor gave

the other; to others he allowed

less

to go from

time, forcing

one room to them to rush

meet the schedule. Each student, one at a time, had to walk down a certain corridor and pass by a bum, who was deliberately planted there, obviously in need of some sort in order to

of aid.

The

results

to them.

The

were

surprising,

and offered a powerful lesson men and women who

percentage of those good

stopped to help was extremely low, especially for those

who

were under the pressure of a shorter time period. The tighter the schedule, the fewer were those indigent man.

When

who

stopped to help the

the professor revealed his experiment,

you can imagine the impact on that class of future spiritual leaders. Rushing to preach a sermon on the Good Samaritan they had walked past the beggar at the heart of the parable.

We must have eyes

to see as well as

never help at

think this well-known

all. I

hands to help, or we may

poem

expresses

powerfully:

I

was hungry and you formed a humanities club

my hunger. Thank you.

to discuss

I

was imprisoned and you to

your chapel

to

crept offquiedy

pray for

Nice.

my

release.

it

STORIES FOR THE HEART

92

I

was naked and

in

your mind you debated the

morality of my appearance.

What good did I

was

sick

and you

knelt

that do?

and thanked God for

your health.

But /

I

needed you.

was homeless and you preached

to

me

of the

shelter of the love of God. I

I

was

wish you'd taken

lonely

and you

left

me home.

me alone

to

pray for me.

Why didn't you stay? You seem so

holy, so close to

God; but

very hungry, lonely, cold, and

Does

it

still

Vm

still

in pain.

matter?

Anonymous

-^h

VIRTUES

93

Ruth Senter heard the voice but couldn't see the person. She was on the other side of the locker, just coming in from her early

I—

morning swim. Her voice sounded like the morning bright, cheerful, and full of life. At 6:15 in the morn-

itself

ing,

it

would catch anyone's attention.

I

heard

its

affirming

tone.

"Delores,

me

last

really appreciated the

I

week.

I

know

book you picked up

the library was out of your way.

been able to put the book down. Solzhenitsyn I'm glad you suggested him to me."

"Good morning,

moment the melodious

voice was silent, then

"Have you ever seen such a gorgeous day? meadowlarks as

I

walked over

you're alive, doesn't

The

for

haven't

a great writer.

is

Pat," she greeted another

I

swimmer. For a I

I

heard

it

again.

spied a pair of

morning. Makes you glad

this

it?"

Who can be that Her voice had a note of

voice was too good to be true.

thankful at this time of the morning?

it. Probably some rich woman who has nothing day but sip tea on her verandah and read

refinement to to

do

all

Solzhenitsyn.

I

suppose

I

could be cheerful at 6 A.M.

swim and read my way through the

day. Probably

if I

could

even owns a

cottage in the north woods.

rounded the corner toward the showers and came face to face with the youthful voice. She was just packing her gear. I

Her yellow housekeeping uniform hung fiftyish frame. It

was a uniform

I'd

crisp

and neat on her

seen before

mops, brooms, dust cloths, and buckets.

An

—along with

employee of the

which I swam. She flashed a smile my way, picked up her plastic K-Mart shopping bag, and hurried out the door,

facility at

spreading "have a glorious day" benedictions as she went. I still

had the yellow uniform on my mind

as

I

swam my

STORIES FOR THE HEART

94

laps

My of

and sank down among the foamy lather of the whirlpool. two companions were deep in conversation. At least one

them

was. His tired, sad voice told tragic woes of arthritic

knees, a heart aneurysm, sleepless nights, and pain-filled days.

Nothing was good or

The water was

right.

whirlpool jets weren't strong enough for his doctors had been his

much

stiff

too hot, the

knees, and his

too slow in diagnosing his case.

With

diamond-studded hand, he wiped the white suds out of his

face.

He

The

looked ancient, but

I

suspected he too was

out in striking, silent contrast, proof to

God

says,

really

fiftyish.

yellow uniform and the diamond studded ring stood

"Godliness with contentment

means

discontent.

me

I

it.

This morning

I

is

again that

when

great gain,"

He

saw both contentment and

resolved never to forget.

VIRTUES

95

Ibrd,

make me an instrument

^of Thy peace. Where

there

is

hatred,

sow love; where there is despair, let

us

hope;

where there

is

sadness,

is

darkness,

joy;

where there light.

O Divine Master, grant that

we may not so much

seek to be consoled, as to console;

not so

much

to be loved,

as to love.

For

in giving that

we

in pardoning that

we

it is

receive, it is

are

pardoned, it is

in dying that

to eternal

•

life.

BS^

we

are

born again

-•-f

VISION An old Chinese proverb If your vision

a

is

for

year,

plant wheat.

If your vision

is

for

ten years,

plant trees.

If your vision

a

is

lifetime

plant people.

for

MOTIVATION

99

Charles R. Swindoll

The

an eloquent speaker and for several years the chaplain of the United States Senate, used to love to tell the story of "The Keeper of the late Peter Marshall,

Spring," a quiet forest dweller

who

lived high above an

Austrian village along the eastern slopes of the Alps.

The

old

gentlemen had been hired many years ago by a young town council to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the lovely spring flowing

through their town. With faithful, silent regularity, he removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise choke and contaminate the fresh flow of water. By and by, the village became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated patrolled the hills,

along the crystal clear spring, the millwheels of various busi-

and night, farmlands and the view from restaurants was

nesses located near the water turned day

were naturally

irrigated,

picturesque beyond description.

Years passed.

One

evening the town council met

for

its

semiannual meeting. As they reviewed the budget, one man's eye caught the salary figure being paid the obscure keeper of

Said the keeper of the purse,

the spring.

Why

man?

sees him.

do we keep him on year

For

all

doing us no good.

mous

we know

He

isn't

the strange ranger of the hills

and

is

necessary any longer!" By a unani-

vote, they dispensed with the old man's services.

For several weeks nothing changed. trees

"Who is the old No one ever

after year?

began to shed their

fell

water.

brown

leaves.

By

early

autumn the

Small branches snapped off

into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of sparkling

One

afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish-

tint in the spring.

A

couple days later the water was

STORIES FOR THE HEART

100

much

Within another week, a slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor was soon detected. The millwheels moved slower, some finally ground darker.

Swans

to a halt. disease

left as

did the tourists.

Clammy

and sickness reached deeply into the

fingers of

village.

Quickly, the embarrassed council called a special meeting. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they hired back the

old keeper of the spring ble river of

and new

life

Fanciful though

with

It carries

it

meant

.and within a few weeks the verita-

it

may

be, the story

we

live.

What

more than

idle tale.

the keeper of the springs

mean to our world. mixed with the may seem feeble and

to the village, Christian servants

preserving, taste-giving bite of salt

illuminating, hope-giving ray of light

needless

.

.

.

but

God

without them! You Spring salt

is

a vivid, relevant analogy directly related to

the times in which

The

. .

began to clear up. The wheels started to turn, returned to the hamlet in the Alps once again.

life

is

and

help any society that attempts to exist

see,

the village without the Keeper of the

a perfect representation of the world system without

light.

•

tt=;

MOTIVATION