Thought for the day
The story is told of a country lad who was hired for a salesman's job at a city department store. It was one of those massive stores that has every department imaginable. In fact it was the biggest store in the world - you could get anything there.The boss said, "You can start tomorrow, Friday morning, and I'll come and see you when we close up.
"When the boss looked up the young man the next day at closing time, he saw him shaking hands with a beaming customer. After they parted, he walked over and asked, "Well, that looked good! How many sales did you make today?"
"That was the only one," said the young salesman.
"Only one!?!" blurted the boss. "Most of my staff make 20 or 30 sales a day. You'll have to do better than that! Well, how much was the sale worth?""$227,340 and change," said the young man.
The boss paused for a moment, blinking a few times. "H... H... How did you manage that?!?"
"Well, when he came in this morning and I sold him a small fish hook. Then, I sold him a medium hook, and then a really large hook. Then I sold him a small fishing line, a medium one, and then a big one. I then sold him a spear gun, a wetsuit, scuba gear, nets, chum, and coolers. I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast. We decided he would probably need a new boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that twenty-foot schooner with the twin engines. Then, he said that his Volkswagen probably wouldn't be able to pull it, so I took him to the car department and sold him the new Deluxe Cruiser, with a winch, storage rack, rust proofing, and a built-in refrigerator. Oh, and floor mats.
"The boss took two steps back and asked in astonishment, "You sold all that to a guy who came in for a fish hook?!"
"No," answered the salesman. "He came in to buy a blanket." "A blanket?""Yeah, an extra blanket for the couch. He just had a fight with his wife. I said to him, 'Well, your weekend's ruined, so you may as well go fishing...'"One thing leads to another.
And that's the way it should work in our spiritual lives. An old Chinese proverb says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." So it is with Christianity. We look ahead to where we want to be, and we take a step. Then another. And another. As we grow and mature in Christ, we continue to add virtue upon virtue. "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." (2 Peter 1:5-7).
Wherever you are in your spiritual life, I pray that you'll take a step up today, adding something that will make you a little more in the image of Jesus Christ. As you add one thing to another, you will be much closer to that goal by the end of 2009.
Verses
Mark 9:23
Jesus said, "It is not a question of whether I can do anything; rather, it is a question of whether you can believe. Anything can happen if you can believe."
Matthew 4:23
Now Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
Jude 1:20
But you, my friends, must fortify yourselves in your most sacred faith. Continue to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joshua 1:8
Let this book of the law be ever on your lips and in your thoughts day and night, so that you may keep with care everything in it; then a blessing will be on all your way, and you will do well.
Prayer
Father, help me to be Your hand extended to those in need. We so often complain about our own needs but in reality much of our own needs are met as we reach out to others in need. Your Scripture declares, “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Help us not to put off that which You lay upon our hearts. May our gentle and loving touch be the finger of God reaching down from heaven to earth. We were created in Your image and we desire to portray Your loving character as well. Whet our appetite for spiritual food that brings sustenance, growth and experience as we partake of the Bread of Life. May our hearts hunger for the wonderful promises, provisions, and principles revealed throughout Your Holy Scripture. As we regularly feast on these nourishing nuggets we become mature and strengthened so that we can trust You in times of famine. Keep us tasting and keep us trusting. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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