3 True Short Stories...

If you have ever been employed, there is most likely something you have done repetitively at that job.  I had a job once where I asked people everyday if they had a religious preference.  I heard everything from "Native American" to "Catholic" to "non-religious" and everything in between.  I didn't bat an eye or judge people, but one day I was pleasantly surprised at one little lady who hesitated when I asked her that question.  She looked at me, smiled, and said, "Jesus."  His amazingly beautiful name hung in the air as we both smiled.  I had never heard anyone claim their religious preference to be "Jesus".  Simply, Jesus.  Now that's food for thought.
"...God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name..." Philippians 2:9    
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although I didn't care to look, my husband asked me to see what was on the tattered, cardboard sign a young man was holding up in the median near an intersection as we drove past.  The words, "It's probably a homeless man," came out of my mouth as I read the sign, "Jesus loves you."  I was both ashamed of myself and got the warm-fuzzies all at the same time.  We've all seen unfortunate people standing with signs by the edge of the road; I suppose we've become immune.  There are multiple reasons why we drive by and don't help - some of them very legitimate.  But in this case, with nothing to gain, who in the world has the guts to stand with a "Jesus loves you" sign by the side of the road?  Good for him!  What would be on your sign if you had the courage to stand by the side of road with it? 
"Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven."  Matthew 10:32
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Initially, I thought I saw the sanitation worker lose his balance and start to fall off the back of a garbage truck. As my brain caught up with my eyes, I realized he was dancing as he rode along emptying garbage bins at the side of the road. We were on the same path, so I continued to follow him in my car. He was ever so smooth as he danced away like Fred Astaire. The sight made me smile from the inside as I drove on to work that morning. I recognize that we can’t all dance around at our jobs, but I wonder what the world would be like if we all danced joyfully in our minds as we went along our day? Hum…
 
“…there is nothing better for people than to be happy and do good…and find satisfaction in their work – this is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:12,13