Spreading Love

Norman Vincent Peale wrote this:

"Ralston Young carries bags for a living but his real job is living the spirit of Christ as a porter in one of the world's greatest railway stations.

One day he was asked to take a little old lady to her train.

She was in a wheel chair so he took her down on the elevator.

As he wheeled her into the elevator, he noticed there were tears in her eyes.

Ralston Young stood there as the elevator descended, closed his eyes and asked the Lord how he could help her and the Lord give him an idea.

As he wheeled her off the elevator he said with a smile "Ma'am, if you don't mind me saying so, that is a mighty pretty hat you are wearing."

She looked at him and said "Thank you"

"And may I add" he said "that sure is a pretty dress you have on. I like it so much".

Being a woman this appealed to her, and despite the fact she wasn't feeling well, she brightened up and asked "Why in the world did you say those nice things to me?"

"Well" he said "I saw how unhappy you were. I saw you were crying and I just asked the Lord how I could help you. The Lord said 'Speak to her about the hat'. The mention of the dress he added was my own idea."

"Don't you feel well?" he asked.

"No" she replied "I am constantly in pain". I am never free from it. Sometimes I can't stand it. Do you, by any chance, know what it is like to be in pain all the time?"

Ralston had an answer: "Yes Ma'am, I do for I lost an eye and it hurts like a hot iron day and night."

"But you seem so happy now. How did you accomplish it?"

"Just by prayer ma'am, just by prayer."

She asked "Does prayer, just prayer take the pain away?"

"Well" replied Ralston "perhaps it doesn't always take it away. I can't say it does, but it always helps to overcome it so it doesn't seem like it burns so much. Just keep on praying, ma'am and I'll pray for you too."

Her tears were dried now and she looked up at him with a lovely smile, took him by the hand and said

"You've done me so much good".

A year passed and one night at Grand Central station Ralston Young was paged to come to the Information Booth.

A young woman was there who said: "I bring you a message from the dead. Before she died my mother told me to find you and to tell you how much you helped her last year when she took the train in her wheelchair. She will always remember you, even in eternity. She will remember you for you were so kind and loving and understanding"

Then the young woman burst into tears and sobbed in her grief.

Ralston stood quietly watching her. Then he said "Don't cry missy, don't cry. You shouldn't cry. Give a prayer of thanksgiving".

Surprised the girl said "Why should I give a prayer of thanksgiving?"

"Because" said Ralston "many people have become orphans much younger than you. You had your mother for a long, long time, and besides you still have her. You will see her again......."

Peale concludes by saying:

"Ralston's kindness had the same effect on the daughter as it had on her mother. In this huge station, with thousands of people passing by, the two of them felt the presence of (the) one who inspired this wonderful porter to go around this way, spreading love."

("The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale p.84-86).

Abraham Lincoln's prayer

A visitor to the White House when Lincoln was president was with Lincoln for three weeks as his guest. One night, soon after the Battle of Bull Run, this visitor could not sleep.

Suddenly he heard a low voice proceeding from the room where the president slept. He got up and walked toward the door, which was partly open. Then he saw the president kneeling before an open Bible.

The light was turned low, and the president's back was to the door; he did not know that he was being overheard. In piteous and solemn tones the president was praying: "Thou God that heard Solomon in the night when he prayed and cried for wisdom, hear me!

I cannot lead this people. I cannot guide the affairs of this nation without Thy help. I am poor and weak...O God, Thou didst hear Solomon when he cried for wisdom--hear me and save this nation." - Choice Illustrations, W.W. Clay pg 57-58

Elephant and the beggars

There were two beggars who sit in front of a famous Church. A pilgrimage site where worshipers come from different parts of the country. Every day these beggars used to sit in front of the church and beg. People give pennies in anticipation of God's blessing.

 One was blind, and the other was lame. One day there was rain and the streets were empty. They didn't get enough for the day. In the evening while they were returning home the lame saw an elephant and its mahout was coming against them. The blind beggar listened to the sound of the chain of the elephant and asked his friend whether it's an elephant passing by.

 The lame confirmed that it's an elephant. Then the blind beggar asked in a loud voice to the mahout "Hay, Do you want to gift the elephant to us". The mahout went on his way without answering the beggars.

 After a while, the lame beggar asked the blind. Are you mad? Why have asked for the elephant? Do you think he will give it to us?

 To that, the blind replied: "We don't know whether the mahout is kind enough to give us the elephant. If he give us the elephant, we would get a lot of money by selling the elephant. Even if he is not willing to give us the elephant, we have nothing to lose but a word.

 Many times our prayers are like this. We don't know whether we would get the things for which we had prayed. We don't know whether we are worthy to receive the thing to which we have prayed. Still, we pray. Without faith. Without any assurance.