Glass of Milk

[VERMAURICE BROWN]

GLASS OF MILK 

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?"

You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many year's later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...

"Paid in full with one glass of milk"

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."

There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the water comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

Now you have two choices.

1. You can send this page on and spread a positive message.

2. Or ignore it and pretend it never touched your heart.

The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which -- To burn .

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable about the attitude of stewardship. There are three attitudes on display here… and many church goers exhibit 1 of those 3.

The 1st attitude is this: What’s YOURS is MINE and I’m going to take it (vs. 30 - the thieves on the road).

That’s not an attitude we’d approve of. IN FACT, even the world understands this is wrong. 

AND YET, in Malachi 3:8-10 God speaks to Israel… 
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, ’How do we rob you?’ "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-- the whole nation of you-- because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 

For the Christian, the tithe might not be "required of us," But if God is important to us, if we really love Him, if He’s really the God wetell our neighbors He is… the Tithe is a powerful way of showing your appreciation of who He is to you.

But the 1st attitude that some church goers exhibit is what’s yours is mine and I’m going to keep it.

The 2nd attitude is What’s MINE is MINE and I’m going to keep it (vs. 31-32)

Who does Jesus say passed by this man in the ditch? (A Levite and a Pharisee). These were men of ministry. These were religious leaders. These were the DOERS in the congregation. They were trained to serve God - BUT they’re not going to do anything for beaten man.

In order for them to help this man, they’d have to give up something important to them… their time, their resources, personal comfort.

They’ve been trained to do "religious things." They’ve been trained to do ministry. But when the time comes to do "real ministry" they turn their heads away. Their attitude is "What’s mine is mine – I’m going to keep it. THEY ARE NOT GOOD STEWARDS.

3rd attitude – What’s MINE is YOURS – I’ll share it with you (vss. 33-37).

This Samaritan was not "trained in ministry." The Samaritan was probably not any wealthier than the Levite or Pharisee. This Samaritan probably had other things to do in his life. AND YET, he stopped where the others walked on by.

WHAT’S THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR A "GOOD STEWARD" OF GOD?
It’s the attitude of ownership. 

You know what a "steward" is? A steward is someone who takes care of something for someone else. If you’re a steward.. you don’t own what you have. So, if I’m going to be a "steward for God" I need to make up my mind that I don’t own…
1. My Time 
2. My Money
3. My Possessions
4. My Relationships

They’re all His. They belong to Him. I just manage them. IF I MASTER THIS ATTITUDE - I’m a Good steward.