Post by Rhonda on Jan 24, 2006 21:38:57 GMT -5
To Walk in the Shoes of Another~
Bill Andrews was a big, awkward, homely guy. He dressed oddly with
ill-fitting clothes. There were several fellows who thought it smart to make
fun of him. One day one fellow noticed a small tear in his shirt and gave it
a small rip. Another worker in the factory added his bit, and before long
there was quite a ribbon dangling.
Bill went on about his work and as he passed too near a moving belt the
shirt strip was sucked into the machinery. In a split second the sleeve and
Bill were in trouble. Alarms were sounded, switches pulled, and trouble was
avoided. The foreman, however, aware of what had happened, summoned the men
and related this story:
In my younger days I worked in a small factory. That's where I first met
Mike Havoc. He was big and witty, was always making jokes, and playing
little pranks. Mike was a leader. Then there was Pete Lumas who was a
follower. He always went along with Mike.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And then there was a man named . . . Jake. He was a little older than the
rest of us -- quiet, harmless, apart. He always ate his lunch by himself. He
wore the same patched trousers for three years straight. He never entered
into the games we played at noon, wrestling, horse shoes and such. He
appeared to be indifferent, always sitting quietly alone under a tree
instead.
Jake was a natural target for practical jokes. He might find a live frog in
his dinner pail, or a dead rodent in his hat. But he always took it in good
humor. "Then one Fall when things were slack, Mike took off a few days to go
hunting. Pete went along, of course. And they promised all of us that if
they got anything they'd bring us each a piece.
So we were all quite excited when we heard that they'd returned and that
Mike had got a really nice big buck. We heard more than that. Pete could
never keep anything to himself, and it leaked out that they had a real
hopper to play on Jake. Mike had cut up the critter and had made a nice
package for each of us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And, for the laugh, for the joke of it, he had saved the ears, the tail, the
hoofs -- it would be so funny when Jake unwrapped them. "Mike distributed
his packages during the noon hour. We each got a nice piece, opened it, and
thanked him. The biggest package of all he saved until last. It was for
Jake.
Pete was all but bursting; and Mike looked very smug. Like always, Jake sat
by himself; he was on the far side of the big table. Mike pushed the package
over to where he could reach it; and we all sat and waited. Jake was never
one to say much. You might never know that he was around for all the talking
he did. In three years he'd never said a hundred words.
So we were all quite astounded with what happened next. "He took the package
firmly in his grip and rose slowly to his feet. He smiled broadly at Mike --
and it was then we noticed that his eyes were glistening. His Adam's apple
bobbed up and down for a moment and then he got control of himself. "I knew
you wouldn't forget me," he said gratefully; "I knew you'd come through!
You're big and you're playful, but I knew all along that you had a good
heart."
~~~~~~~~~~~
He swallowed again, and then took in the rest of us. "I know I haven't
seemed too chummy with you men; but I never meant to be rude. You see, I've
got nine kids at home -- and a wife that's been an invalid -- bedfast now
for four years. She ain't ever going to get any better. And sometimes when
she's real bad off, I have to sit up all night to take care of her. And most
of my wages have had to go for doctors and medicine. The kids do all they
can to help out, but at times it's been hard to keep food in their mouths.
Maybe you think it's funny that I go off by myself to eat my dinner. Well, I
guess I've been a little ashamed, because I don't always have anything
between my sandwich. Or like today -- maybe there's only a raw turnip in my
pail. But I want you to know that this meat really means a lot to me. Maybe
more than to anybody here because tonight my kids," he wiped the tears from
his eyes with the back of his hand, "...tonight my kids will have a
really..." He tugged at the string.
We'd been watching Jake so intently we hadn't paid much notice to Mike and
Pete. But we all noticed them now, because they both dove at once to try to
grab the package. But they were too late. Jake had broken the wrapper and
was already surveying his present. He examined each hoof, each ear, and then
he held up the tail. It wiggled limply. It should have been so funny, but
nobody laughed -- nobody at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But the hardest part was when Jake looked up and said thank you while trying
to smile. Silently one by one each man moved forward carrying his package
and quietly placed it in front of Jake for they had suddenly realized how
little their own gift had really meant to them ... until now....
This was where the foreman left the story and the men. He didn't need to say
anymore; but it was gratifying to notice that as each man ate his lunch that
day, they shared part with Bill Andrews gave it to hand one fellow even
took off his shirt andim.
Author Unknown
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
Bill Andrews was a big, awkward, homely guy. He dressed oddly with
ill-fitting clothes. There were several fellows who thought it smart to make
fun of him. One day one fellow noticed a small tear in his shirt and gave it
a small rip. Another worker in the factory added his bit, and before long
there was quite a ribbon dangling.
Bill went on about his work and as he passed too near a moving belt the
shirt strip was sucked into the machinery. In a split second the sleeve and
Bill were in trouble. Alarms were sounded, switches pulled, and trouble was
avoided. The foreman, however, aware of what had happened, summoned the men
and related this story:
In my younger days I worked in a small factory. That's where I first met
Mike Havoc. He was big and witty, was always making jokes, and playing
little pranks. Mike was a leader. Then there was Pete Lumas who was a
follower. He always went along with Mike.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And then there was a man named . . . Jake. He was a little older than the
rest of us -- quiet, harmless, apart. He always ate his lunch by himself. He
wore the same patched trousers for three years straight. He never entered
into the games we played at noon, wrestling, horse shoes and such. He
appeared to be indifferent, always sitting quietly alone under a tree
instead.
Jake was a natural target for practical jokes. He might find a live frog in
his dinner pail, or a dead rodent in his hat. But he always took it in good
humor. "Then one Fall when things were slack, Mike took off a few days to go
hunting. Pete went along, of course. And they promised all of us that if
they got anything they'd bring us each a piece.
So we were all quite excited when we heard that they'd returned and that
Mike had got a really nice big buck. We heard more than that. Pete could
never keep anything to himself, and it leaked out that they had a real
hopper to play on Jake. Mike had cut up the critter and had made a nice
package for each of us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And, for the laugh, for the joke of it, he had saved the ears, the tail, the
hoofs -- it would be so funny when Jake unwrapped them. "Mike distributed
his packages during the noon hour. We each got a nice piece, opened it, and
thanked him. The biggest package of all he saved until last. It was for
Jake.
Pete was all but bursting; and Mike looked very smug. Like always, Jake sat
by himself; he was on the far side of the big table. Mike pushed the package
over to where he could reach it; and we all sat and waited. Jake was never
one to say much. You might never know that he was around for all the talking
he did. In three years he'd never said a hundred words.
So we were all quite astounded with what happened next. "He took the package
firmly in his grip and rose slowly to his feet. He smiled broadly at Mike --
and it was then we noticed that his eyes were glistening. His Adam's apple
bobbed up and down for a moment and then he got control of himself. "I knew
you wouldn't forget me," he said gratefully; "I knew you'd come through!
You're big and you're playful, but I knew all along that you had a good
heart."
~~~~~~~~~~~
He swallowed again, and then took in the rest of us. "I know I haven't
seemed too chummy with you men; but I never meant to be rude. You see, I've
got nine kids at home -- and a wife that's been an invalid -- bedfast now
for four years. She ain't ever going to get any better. And sometimes when
she's real bad off, I have to sit up all night to take care of her. And most
of my wages have had to go for doctors and medicine. The kids do all they
can to help out, but at times it's been hard to keep food in their mouths.
Maybe you think it's funny that I go off by myself to eat my dinner. Well, I
guess I've been a little ashamed, because I don't always have anything
between my sandwich. Or like today -- maybe there's only a raw turnip in my
pail. But I want you to know that this meat really means a lot to me. Maybe
more than to anybody here because tonight my kids," he wiped the tears from
his eyes with the back of his hand, "...tonight my kids will have a
really..." He tugged at the string.
We'd been watching Jake so intently we hadn't paid much notice to Mike and
Pete. But we all noticed them now, because they both dove at once to try to
grab the package. But they were too late. Jake had broken the wrapper and
was already surveying his present. He examined each hoof, each ear, and then
he held up the tail. It wiggled limply. It should have been so funny, but
nobody laughed -- nobody at all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But the hardest part was when Jake looked up and said thank you while trying
to smile. Silently one by one each man moved forward carrying his package
and quietly placed it in front of Jake for they had suddenly realized how
little their own gift had really meant to them ... until now....
This was where the foreman left the story and the men. He didn't need to say
anymore; but it was gratifying to notice that as each man ate his lunch that
day, they shared part with Bill Andrews gave it to hand one fellow even
took off his shirt andim.
Author Unknown
Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.