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Dalton
Roberts |
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Seeing all the appeals to help Katrina victims, I remembered once writing, “There are probably a hundred reasons why people don’t obey the whisper of their hearts to do something good but I am convinced two of them are a feeling that they cannot make a difference and worrying about the worthiness of the recipients.” Those two feelings have killed more good intentions than anything else in this world. Tammy Greene sent me a true story from the life of Dr. Russell Conwell, author of the classic book, Acres of Diamonds. It shows the power of just 57 cents. This little girl wanted to go to Sunday School but it was so crowded she had to leave. She walked by Dr. Conwell crying and said, “I can’t go to Sunday School.” He took her hand and led her to a class where they made room for her. Two years later she died and the family remembered Dr. Conwell’s kindness to her and asked him to officiate at her funeral. After her little body was removed from her room, they found a small crumpled red purse containing 57 cents and a note that read, “This is to help build the little church bigger.” Dr. Conwell carried her note and little red purse to the pulpit and urged his people to get to work to build a church to meet the growing needs of the community. A realtor offered them choice land and sold it to them for 57 cents in honor of the girl. Out of this effort, a church was built seating 3,300 and later Temple University was added. In one room of this complex of new buildings hangs a picture of that little girl alongside her friend, Dr. Conwell. Similar examples are available in every life. We just forget. There’s not a single person who has ever done something small and insignificant who has not made a greater impact than they know. You simply cannot throw a pebble of kindness out into the pond of life without positive healing ripples flowing out in all directions. It is a law of the universe as certain as the law of gravity. If we do good for recognition and praise, we have our reward. When we do good without trumpeting, from a quiet, deep inner desire to simply be better persons or out of a love for people and good causes, we have a delicious inner delight the rest of our lives. That little girl who saved 57 cents out of love is a perfect example. I do not know why she died at such an early age but she must have made her passage with a warm, glowing heart. We all die with the quality of heart we have created through the quality of our actions. I am reminded of the father and son walking a beach where starfish had washed ashore and were dying in the afternoon sun. The father picked one up and threw it out into the water. The son said, “Dad, there are so many of them dying that you haven’t made much difference.” The father said, “I made a lot of difference to the one I put back into the water.” I have been amazed at the number of emails questioning the worthiness of Katrina victims. Strangely, people with cars cannot understand why people without cars cannot get out of danger. People with money cannot understand why people who have just lost everything except the clothes on their backs can be so helpless. It is a mindless mental game and it throws a cold, wet blanket over the hearts of potential givers. If a hundred people contribute a few dollars and it enables one Katrina victim to start a new life, wouldn’t the victim with a new lease on life feel deep appreciation for the smallest contributor? It might be the smallest contribution that turns the tide. Let no one diminish your faith in the power of your kindness. ******** DR's inspirational CD has a song about the power
of Jesus' kindness. It is titled "I Wonder What He Wrote in the Sand,"
$12.00 ppd. See his website at
www.daltonroberts.com or order by email. |
