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 One
morning I arose from bed, half asleep, and slipped my foot into
a boot. A jolting, searing stab of hot pain brought me fully
awake and aware that there was a scorpion in that boot, unhappy
about his crowded condition. I removed my boot, promptly!
For
several days afterwards I made elaborate examinations of my
boots before putting them on — and then I rebelled at the
slavery to fear created by that one unusual happening. The first
time I dressed without checking my boots gave me a shaky moment,
but all has been well since then. Mature people should not allow
"accidents" or trivial circumstances to become the
mold for life patterns.
A
salesman approached the president of a large retail chain with
his pitch for a green bean special. He reminded his prospect of
the label's good reputation, of the special sale price, and then
he opened a can of the beans and poured them into a bowl set
before the president. There, on top of the beans, was a large
green worm that had been inadvertently canned with the product.
Yes, it can happen, but is very rare, indeed.
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The
salesman was horrified, and without another word began to gather
papers and samples to leave the office. But the president said,
"I'll take 500 cases of those beans." Hardly believing
his ears, the salesman made out the order and then, as he was
leaving the room he turned to say, "Mr.______, I'll never
forget you."
The
president knew about canned beans, what we ought to know about
human relations." Time and chance" happeneth to the
swift, the strong , the wise, etc., (Eccl. 9:11). We demand
perfection or nothing we will get nothing. If there is no room
in our plans for unexpected, unusual, or even
"undeserved" turns, we are being unrealistic.
Successful people do not cry over spilled milk — they call and
fatten their cat. But there are times when there seems no
winning solution.
Perhaps
this element in life has some deeper purpose; reminding us that
we are never completely in control — that we wrestle with
forces greater than our own — that we must have faith in the
God of this universe, and be thankful for mercy from Him who
careth for us (1 Pet. 5:7).
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