A few years ago, a group of

salesmen went to a regional

sales convention in Chicago.
They had assured their wives
that they would be home in
plenty of time for Friday night's
dinner. But the conference
ended a little later than
expected.
They all arrived late at the airport. They all arrived late at the airport.
They entered with their tickets They entered with their tickets
and briefcases running through and briefcases running through
the corridors of the airport. the corridors of the airport.
!n their rush, one of these !n their rush, one of these
salesmen inadvertently kicked salesmen inadvertently kicked
over a table which held a display over a table which held a display
of baskets of apples. Apples flew of baskets of apples. Apples flew
everywhere. Without stopping or everywhere. Without stopping or
looking back, they all managed to looking back, they all managed to
reach the plane in time for their reach the plane in time for their
nearly missed boarding. nearly missed boarding.
All but one. All but one.
e paused, took a deep e paused, took a deep
breath, got in touch with his breath, got in touch with his
feelings, and experienced a feelings, and experienced a
twinge of compassion for twinge of compassion for
the girl whose apple stand the girl whose apple stand
had been overturned. e had been overturned. e
told his buddies to go on told his buddies to go on
without him, waved without him, waved
goodbye, told one of them to goodbye, told one of them to
call his wife when they call his wife when they
arrived at their home arrived at their home
destination, and explain his destination, and explain his
taking a later flight. taking a later flight.
Then he returned to the terminal Then he returned to the terminal
where the apples were all over where the apples were all over
the terminal floor. e was glad the terminal floor. e was glad
he did. The 16 he did. The 16 year year old girl was old girl was
totally blind! She was softly totally blind! She was softly
crying, tears running down her crying, tears running down her
cheeks in frustration and, at the cheeks in frustration and, at the
same time, helplessly groping same time, helplessly groping
for her spilled produce as the for her spilled produce as the
crowd swirled about her, no one crowd swirled about her, no one
stopping, and no one to care for stopping, and no one to care for
her plight. her plight.
The salesman knelt on the The salesman knelt on the
floor with her, gathered up floor with her, gathered up
the apples, put them into the apples, put them into
the baskets, and helped set the baskets, and helped set
the display up once more. As the display up once more. As
he did this, he noted that he did this, he noted that
many of them had become many of them had become
battered and bruised, these battered and bruised, these
he set aside in another he set aside in another
basket. When he had basket. When he had
finished, he pulled out his finished, he pulled out his
wallet and said to the girl, wallet and said to the girl,
"ere, please take this $20 "ere, please take this $20
for the damage we did. Are for the damage we did. Are
you okay?" you okay?"
She nodded through her
tears. e continued with, "!
hope we didn't spoil your
day too badly."
As the salesman started to
walk away, the bewildered
blind girl called out to him,
"Nister...." e paused and
turned to look back into
those blind eyes. She
continued, "Are you ]esus?"
e stopped in mid stride,
and he wondered. Then
slowly he made his way to
catch the later flight with
that question burning and
bouncing about in his soul:
"Are you ]esus?"
o people mistake you for ]esus? o people mistake you for ]esus?
That's our destiny, is it not? To be so That's our destiny, is it not? To be so
much like ]esus that people cannot much like ]esus that people cannot
tell the difference as we live and tell the difference as we live and
interact with a world that is blind to interact with a world that is blind to
is love, life, and grace. !f we claim is love, life, and grace. !f we claim
to know im, we should live, walk, to know im, we should live, walk,
and act as e would. Knowing im is and act as e would. Knowing im is
more than simply quoting Scripture more than simply quoting Scripture
and going to church. !t's actually and going to church. !t's actually
living the Word as life unfolds day to living the Word as life unfolds day to
day. You are the apple of is eye day. You are the apple of is eye
even though we, too, have been even though we, too, have been
bruised by a fall. bruised by a fall. e stopped what e e stopped what e
was doing and picked you and me up was doing and picked you and me up
on a hill called Calvary and paid in on a hill called Calvary and paid in
full for our damaged fruit. Let us live full for our damaged fruit. Let us live
like we are worth the price e paid. like we are worth the price e paid.
Nakes you think, doesn't it? Nakes you think, doesn't it?
ear Father, give us ear Father, give us
Your oly Spirit to LP Your oly Spirit to LP
us imitate your Son us imitate your Son
]esus'. ]esus'.
!f you need a blessing, !f you need a blessing,
keep reading and say keep reading and say
the following prayer to the following prayer to
Cod Cod
eavenly Father,
Cod of love and goodness,
bless me and my family
abundantly
! know that you recognize
us as Your family
if we listen to Your word
and put it into practice
! offer this prayer ! offer this prayer
for the person who sent for the person who sent
me this message, for me this message, for
myself and myself and
for all those who have for all those who have
sent it to others and sent it to others and
who are at this moment who are at this moment
reading this message. reading this message.
That the power of group That the power of group
prayer made prayer made 3 3 3 3for all for all
those who believe and those who believe and
trust in you, is more trust in you, is more
powerful than anything powerful than anything
else. else.
Thank you, Lord, Thank you, Lord,
right now for your right now for your
blessings. blessings.
Cod the Father, who Cod the Father, who
art in Providence, art in Providence,
free from economic free from economic
worries the person worries the person
who is reading this who is reading this
message right now. message right now.
Cive me your Cive me your
wisdom wisdom
to be a good tool to be a good tool
in your hands and in your hands and
work with you work with you
to make our world to make our world
better.. better..
Please, Lord, Please, Lord,
for all the people who for all the people who
do not have a steady do not have a steady
job and good health job and good health
who do not rejoice with who do not rejoice with
us: fill them with your us: fill them with your
ray of light, of ray of light, of
consolation and hope. consolation and hope.
Amen. Amen.
Send this message
quickly and in a few
hours it will mean that
many people are praying
to God for other people.
.... May Cod bless
you!