Week #25 Story in an Email

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared . Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother' he said. 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Thought for the Day:

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.

He sends you flowers every spring.

He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

5 comments:

Catie said...

really cool... I have been out of my apartment for several weeks now and I have been squatting a friends apt. Sadly, my time spent with God has dwindled due to different schedules and laziness on my part. I really enjoyed the last part of the Bible study about how crazy God is about me, it is absurd to think how i treat him in return. i keep asking myself, if I removed "God" from my daily life would anything change. It is scary that I had to give a second thought to this question but I did. I know that this walk is a journey but I hope to give God more of my thoughts, feelings and actions..

Jon said...

I feel like God has thrown a brick at me and my family. Since my dad got hurt, I have really been focusing on what God is trying to teach me. I know this event is REALLY going to change my dad's life (it already has), but it is going to change the lives of our entire family. This happened for a reason. I can already name 10 or more things that I have seen that God has done prior to this event or that I have seen since the event. God's presence throughout this entire ordeal has been obvious.

I am not angry with God that this happened. I don't blame Him or even ask why. I know that God is leading us through this situation. I can honestly feel His presence (it is pretty cool)! It has been a humbling experience for me, and I can only imagine how it has messed with my dad. I know that God won't allow anything to happen to us that is too big for us to handle with His help, and I know that this will pass. I am just so thankful for the friends and family that God has placed in our lives to help us as we prepare for the tough road ahead. Knowing that so many people are praying for your family's situation is very encouraging and at times overwhelming. God is so AMAZING!

In response to what Catie said...I have asked myself that same question and felt pretty much the same way. Would my daily life be any different? Very sadly, it wouldn't be as different as it should be. God has given me everything, and I continuously use and abuse His love for me. How much trouble would I be in if He treated me how I deserved to be treated? Now that's a scary thought! I will never live up to what God deserves here on this earth, but like Catie said, I hope to give more of my thoughts, feelings, and actions to God.

Anonymous said...

Good lesson. I feel like I have been hurrying trying to get somewhere for the last few years. Hurry to graduate, hurry to get to work, hurry to get home. I never even think about slowing down to thank God for the ability to be able to rush to the places I go to. Its time to take the blinders off and take note of the things going on around me. I have been so focused on self that I wouldn't even see the brick coming.

My prayers are with you and your family, Jon.

brice said...

Sadly, this is the way the world is today. Everyone is in a hurry and can't get where they are going fast enough. I get in a hurry and like the story the blinders get put on and I get focused on the task at hand and miss what is going on around me. I would be like chris and would not see the brick coming. It is time to slow down and see what is going on around us. God offers us so many blessings and also puts people in our paths that need our help. We need to take time to enjoy it and reach out and help others. I have received the greatest blessings when I have had the opportunity to reach out to others in need. It is a great feeling.

Jon, I am praying for you, your dad and all your family. I know that this has been a trying experience, but God will not give us more than we can handle

Jon said...

thanks so much for the comments everybody. answer to prayer! it is also good to hear that I am not the only one that has been rushing through life and questioning the way i live my life. It is amazing how God uses other people to show us things in our own lives.