Marbles

Marbles - Landon & Jaxon Porter

     Our lesson in church today was on Service.  .
It was an excellent lesson and this true story happened in Idaho a few years ago. The point of the lesson was put over perfectly. I loved it and thought you would too:

Tyler, Zack, Ryan, Nate & Javen marbles and friends

     As a customer, I was buying some potatoes...I noticed a small boy, thin, ragged but clean, hungrily looking at a basket of fresh peas.  I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
Hello Barry how are you today?
"Hi Mr Miller, fine thank ya.  Just admirin them peas, they sure look good." They are good Barry. How's your Ma? "fine gettin stronger all the time."  Good, anything I can help you with? "No sir, just admirin them peas" Would you like to take some home? Asked Mr. Miller. No sir, got nuthin to pay for em with.
      Well what you got to trade me for those peas asked Mr Miller. "All I got is my prize marble here."  Let me see it said Mr. Miller.  It is a nice one, but I don't care for blue, do you have a red one.  I have one sort of red.  Tell you what.  Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble Mr. Miller told the boy.
Every time the young boy would come in, Mr Miller would send him home with a bag of produce, but find a reason not to keep Barry's treasured marble, either the color was not right, or the wrong size, and would send him home to look for another one.  This went on for many years.  Barry wasn't the only boy Mr. Miller did this with, there were several others also.
      Years later, Mr. Jim Miller had died and the story was told of those three young boys who were now all grown up and very professional looking, came to give their condolences to Mrs. Miller.  One by one they hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her.  Mrs Miller was told what a great influence her husband had on them and how they never knew for many years his little scheme to help them because they were in need.    We have come to re-pay our debt, now that Mr Miller was not here to change his mind about the color or size of our trade.
     Mrs. Miller said they never had much wealth in the world, but right now my husband would consider himself the richest man in Idaho!

We will not be remembered by our words,

but by our kind deeds.