Stopped By A Brick
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive namedJosh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going abit too fast in his sleek, black, 12-cylinder Jaguar XKE, which wasonly two months old.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars andslowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed,no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP!
it smashedinto the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Brakes slammed!Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to thespot from where the brick had been thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him upagainst a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all aboutand who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head ofsteam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonnacost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please . . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else wouldstop!"
Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointedaround the parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolledoff the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get himback into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately toswallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he liftedthe young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief andwiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to beOK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalktoward their home.
It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12-cylinderJaguar XKE - a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side doorof his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life sofast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention.
Some bricks are softer than others; feel for the bricks of lifecoming at you.
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God haspositive answers.
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)