WALKING THE EXTRA MILE
From my book of short stories: 'A CIRCLE OF SWIFT SONGS; A Circlet of Inner Life Stories.'
[Though I begin my story in the traditional way: "Once there was a man..." this actually is a
true story:]
Once
there was a man who owned a furniture factory; and because of the hard times he
was going through---with his business facing bankruptcy---he felt he was a
total failure; that he had 'hit bottom,' reached 'bedrock,' and was of no use
to anyone.
One night, this man was working late in his upstairs office at the
factory. All his employees had gone home and he was alone. Though he was very engrossed
in his paperwork, and distracted, agonizing in his heart because his business
was failing so badly, he slowly became aware of a noise. He ignored it and
carried on with his work. It was only a familiar noise. A sound he heard every day.
But then he heard it again. And this time he realized the hour. Something was
wrong. He got up and went to the window. Down below he saw a truck; and
two men, unknown to him, opening the big, tall, double gates of his factory
yard. Then they got back into their truck and drove it into his yard. There
they got out again and began loading his timber, packaged in large heavy
bundles, into their truck.
The
factory owner was stunned at what he saw; but even more so, at himself; for his
first, and most persistent thought was: what would God want him to do? The idea
was completely new to him, and he was astonished. But he stood quietly beside
the window, simply watching; giving up; and marvelling in his heart that he
could do so. For a wonderful peace had come to him, along with an inexplicable sense
of great love. He stood there amazed. It was as though within him a door had
been opened and he could now, hear, and feel. After a few minutes, he went down
into the yard, and approached the two men.
He asked them casually if they would like a
hand with their work. The men were surprised. But this haggard and
sorry-looking man seemed so much, like one of them, that they trusted him and
agreed that they did need some help.
When
the truck was loaded up; and with as much timber as the men wanted, they turned
back to him to thank him. And one of them, asked, ‘Why did you help us? ---Who
are you?’
Brokenly,
the man replied, ‘I am the owner of this factory. I'm going through some
hellish hard struggles in this business at the moment; and I was upstairs in my
office, despairing over my book work--- when I--- when suddenly, I---- I just
gave up! Gave it all to--- to I don't
know! I, really don't know, who--- .’ Suddenly, he stopped; and a warm torrent of joy
rushed right through him; and beaming, he continued. ‘---But, but then this
thought came to me, right out of the blue: what would God want me to do? And as I stood by my window, watching you
stealing my wood, I heard him say, 'Go down and help them.' So here I
am.'
The two men stared at him, speechless. Then suddenly one of them broke
down and wept. Straight away the owner took him into his arms, like a brother,
and comforted him; as a compassion, never experienced before, took over, coming
from some unknown depth. He instantly sensed that he was no better than
them, and that they knew not what they did. Love, incomprehensible, filled his
heart and overflowed; and touched both men. The owner freely forgave them
both. Suddenly, they both desperately wanted to put back all they had stolen.
But the owner told them to take it. For he knew now, he said, that God would
help him, and his business, just as surely as he had helped them.
The
lives of the three men were changed forever. Two never stole again; and the
other, made a new man, also, grew to understand not to resist evil: for he
could not again be sure that he even knew what it was.
Before
the month was out the fortunes of the factory owner were completely turned
around and his life filled with peace; and all the more he did good to those
who had ill-used him. His business, also, quickly recovered. Soon it prospered
and thrived. For with the same measure as he dealt, so was he given, again; and
over and above.
This
is a true story.
*
No comments:
Post a Comment