A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. But the conference ended a little later than expected.

They all arrived late at the They all arrived late at the airport.airport.They entered with their tickets They entered with their tickets and briefcases running and briefcases running through the corridors of the through the corridors of the airport.airport.In their rush, one of these In their rush, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a over a table which held a display of baskets of apples. display of baskets of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. their nearly missed boarding.

All but one. All but one.

He paused, took a deep He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with breath, got in touch with his feelings, and his feelings, and experienced a twinge of experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl compassion for the girl whose apple stand had whose apple stand had been overturned. He told been overturned. He told his buddies to go on his buddies to go on without him, waved without him, waved goodbye, told one of goodbye, told one of them to call his wife them to call his wife when they arrived at when they arrived at their home destination, their home destination, and explain his taking a and explain his taking a later flight.later flight.

Then he returned to the Then he returned to the terminal where the apples terminal where the apples were all over the terminal were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. floor. He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration her cheeks in frustration and, at the same time, and, at the same time, helplessly groping for her helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one swirled about her, no one stopping, and no one to care stopping, and no one to care for her plight. for her plight. 

The salesman knelt on The salesman knelt on the floor with her, the floor with her, gathered up the apples, gathered up the apples, put them into the put them into the baskets, and helped set baskets, and helped set the display up once the display up once more. As he did this, he more. As he did this, he noted that many of them noted that many of them had become battered had become battered and bruised; these he set and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. aside in another basket. When he had finished, he When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, said to the girl, "Here, please take this $20 for please take this $20 for the damage we did. Are the damage we did. Are you okay?"you okay?"

She nodded through her tears. He continued with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, world that is blind to His love, life, and grace. If we claim to life, and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk, know Him, we should live, walk, and act as He would. Knowing and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye even though the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a we, too, have been bruised by a fall. fall. He stopped what He was He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Let in full for our damaged fruit. Let us live like we are worth the us live like we are worth the price He paid. Makes you think, price He paid. Makes you think, doesn't it?doesn't it?

Dear Father, give us Dear Father, give us Your Holy Spirit to Your Holy Spirit to HELP us imitate your HELP us imitate your Son Jesus'.Son Jesus'.

If you need a If you need a blessing, keep blessing, keep reading and say the reading and say the following prayer to following prayer to GodGod

Heavenly Father,God of love and goodness,bless me and my family abundantly

I know that you recognize us as Your familyif we listen to Your wordand put it into practice

I offer this prayerI offer this prayerfor the person who for the person who sent me this sent me this message; for myself message; for myself andandfor all those who for all those who have sent it to others have sent it to others and who are at this and who are at this moment reading this moment reading this message.message.

That the power of That the power of group prayer made group prayer made for all those who for all those who believe and trust in believe and trust in you, is more powerful you, is more powerful than anything else.than anything else.

Thank you, Lord,Thank you, Lord,right now for your right now for your blessings.blessings.

God the Father, God the Father, who art in who art in Providence, free Providence, free from economic from economic worries the person worries the person who is reading who is reading this message right this message right now.now.

Give me your Give me your wisdomwisdomto be a good toolto be a good toolin your hands andin your hands andwork with youwork with youto make our world to make our world better.. better..

Please, Lord,Please, Lord,for all the people for all the people who do not have a who do not have a steady job and good steady job and good health who do not health who do not rejoice with us: fill rejoice with us: fill them with your ray them with your ray of light, of of light, of consolation and consolation and hope.hope.

  Amen. Amen.

Send this message quickly and in a few hours it will mean that many people are praying to God for other people. 

.... May God bless you!