Here is a true story about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town
in Tennessee.
His house was in a poor area of the community. A church had a bus ministry
that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The kid came to
answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. The bus pastor asked if his
parents were home, and the small boy told him that his parents take off
every weekend and leave him at home to take care of his little brother.
The bus pastor couldn't believe what the kid said and asked him to repeat
it. The youngster gave the same answer, and the bus pastor asked to come
in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down on an
old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus pastor asked the kid,
"Where do you go to church?" The young boy surprised the visitor by replying,
"I've never been to church in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to
himself about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the
child's house. "Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again.
"I sure haven't," came his answer. Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son,
more important than going to church, have you ever heard the greatest love
story ever told?", and then proceeded to share the Gospel with this little
nine year old boy. The young lad's heart began to be tenderized, and at
the end of the bus pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted
to receive this free gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, "You bet!"
The kid and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus
into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both
stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the kid up for church
the next morning. "Sure," the nine year old replied.
The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights
off. He let himself in, snaked his way through the house, and found the
little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother
and helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a donut for breakfast
on their way to church. Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church
before. The church was a real big one. The little kid just sat there, clueless
of what was going on.
A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy guys walked down to
the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men prayed and the
kid, with utter fascination, watched them walk up and down the aisles.
He still didn't know what was going on. All of a sudden, like a bolt of
lightning, it hit the kid what was taking place. These people must be giving
money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free gift of life he had received
just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately searched his pockets, front
and back, and couldn't find a thing to give Jesus. By this time the offering
plate was being passed down his aisle and, with a broken heart, he just
grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let go and watched it pass
on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed down the aisle behind
him. And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back
and forth, all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.
Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and
everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed
the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he
did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate,
sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it.
As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I don't
have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"
- Author Unknown -
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