A poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into
a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most
humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.
She softly explained that her husband was unable to work, they had
seven children and they needed food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she
leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please,
sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told
her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge
account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the
conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told
the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her
family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery
list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir."
"O.K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever
your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into
her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on
it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her
head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the
scales went down and stayed down.
The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and
said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on
the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance s he
continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales
would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at
it with greater amazement.
It was not a grocery list. It was a prayer which said:
"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands".
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in
stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store.
The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said,
"It was worth every penny of it."
Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.
Web Design by Marlene
© Marlene's Nest 2004
|
