Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Christmas (04/25/05)
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TITLE: It's God's, Not Mine | Previous Challenge Entry
By Zack Reynolds
04/28/05 -
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Suddenly, a big boom, shaking the entire house, and sending one of his mother’s china plates crashing to the floor, made George jump.
George jumped out of bed, grabbed his clothes, and ran to the window.
The house next to his lay in fragments. Pieces of wood, roofing shingle, part of a bed frame, and glass lay scattered in the snow. The wood was smoking.
George yanked on his clothes and hurried outside. His neighbor, who had just moved in last night, was standing on the sidewalk, holding his wife and two kids, shivering in the cold as they stood in their nightclothes.
“What happened?” George asked.
“I don’t know,” John answered. “I woke up, smelling gas, so I grabbed my wife and kids and ran out of the house. We ran down the street a little ways, and then I was going to call the police when it blew up.”
Then one of the children, a little curly headed boy, began to cry. “Mommy!” he sobbed, “my stocking’s lost!”
“Don’t worry, Ben,” Carla said, “everything’s going to be all right.”
“Come into my house,” George said quickly. “You shouldn’t be standing out here, or you’ll all catch pneumonia.”
George quickly ushered them into his house. He bustled around, getting some food ready. When the food was ready, he got them eating, then quickly disappeared out the door.
When he reappeared, he had two packages under his arm, one large, one small.
“I got some clothes for your family,” he said, handing Carla the large package.
Then he grabbed Ben, and the little girl, who was about seven, and put one on each knee.
“I got something for you,” George said, reaching into the bag.
Ben watched him eagerly. The little girl was shy, hiding her face behind her hands. But George could see her peeking between her fingers.
George brought out two chocolates. “One for each of you,” he said.
Ben quickly took his, but the little girl didn’t move.
“What’s your name?” George asked the little girl.
She slowly took away her hands. “Jess,” she said in a low voice.
“Do you want a chocolate, Jess?”
She shook her head.
“Why don’t you want it?”
Jess slowly looked up at him. “My daddy can’t pay for it,” she whispered.
“Don’t worry about that,” George said quietly. “It’s yours.”
Jess slowly took it, and slowly began to chew on it.
Later, when they had all dressed, John pulled George aside. “I can’t pay you for this,” he said. “I lost everything I had. I’m afraid we need to go.”
“Don’t go,” George said, “I’ve got plenty of room in this house. It’s much too big for just me.”
“But we can’t live off you.”
“You won’t be,” George said. “Everything I have is not mine. It belongs to God. Come on, stay here until you can buy another home.”
Tears flowed into John’s eyes. “Thank you!”
“Just thank Jesus,” George said. “He’s the One who made it possible.”
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