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Pastor's Corner |
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11/5/00
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Once upon a time there was a young
shoemaker. He was a very good shoemaker, with a lot of talent, and a lot
of experience with doing shoes. The townspeople loved him. And the mayor
of the city proudly wore a pair of the shoes the skillful young man had
made. He was often quoted as saying, ‘This is my beloved shoemaker! In
whom I am well pleased".
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The shoemaker was so pleased with
the sayings of the mayor, for he had heard them often from many places,
that each time he got a new client he would offer them an opportunity to
custom design their own shoes. And he, in his brilliance and ability,
would make the shoes to exactly their specifications. Time after time
after time he turned out, faithfully, a finer pair of shoes. |
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One day, there came into the shop an
old man. On his feet was a pair of old worn sandals; sandals which had
obviously been worn over many a road, many a desert, and many town. The
young shoemaker looked at those tired old shoes, and the worn out feet and
said, "I can make you a better pair, old man, if you will but tell me
your wish." |
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The face of the ancient one went
from smiling to sad. "What need have I for shoes better than these,
young man? Am I not too old to care about new shoes, and have not these
shoes cared for me better than a mother for her child?" |
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"But sir," the shoemaker
replied "I desire to be of service to you! And if you will but let
me, I will make you the best pair of sandals that you have every worn. In
fact, I will make them so that your feet will think they have been given
new toes, and not shoes at all". The old man sighed. But nodded his
head in acceptance. |
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All night the shoemaker toiled. He
cut the leathers, he fashioned the soles, he stitched the stitches and he
glued the glues. When he had finished, he threw himself upon his favorite
cushion and breathed the breath of a happy man. "Yes," he said
to himself "this is the finest pair of shoes, even if they be mere
sandals, which I have ever made." |
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The next day, the old man returned.
The young man ran to meet him with great excitement; full of pride in what
he had done. "Here, old man! The finest shoes you could possibly
wear!" he said exuberantly. |
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The man put on the shoes. Then the
man took off the shoes. "Young man," he said, "I thank you
for the attempt but they do not fit ME. Perhaps you would like to wear
them yourself?" The young man couldn’t breath, his face filled with
crimson, and he shouted, "But I made them for you!!" The old man
replied, "I think you will find that you did not have me in mind at
all when you made the shoes, for I can clearly see that they will only be
comfortable to thee and not to such a lowly one as me." |
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Moral: Sometimes, in life, we go
from wanting to serve to wanting to be noticed; and in so doing we lose
all the honor we would have received. Whatever you do, remember who you
are doing it for! God gives the rewards which we deserve. |
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© Anthony J. Massotti Th.M.,
Th.M.11/05/2000 |
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11/26/00 |
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1 John 4:16-21 |
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16 And we have known and believed
the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him. |
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17 Herein is our love made perfect,
that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are
we in this world. |
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18 There is no fear in love; but
perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth
is not made perfect in love. |
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19 We love him, because he first
loved us. |
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20 If a man say, I love God, and
hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom
he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? |
| 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who
loveth God love his brother also. |
| © Anthony J. Massotti Th.M., Th.M. 11/26/2000 |
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Original Quote by Pastor Anthony |
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To Fly With The Eagles, You Must Soar In Heart First!
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This site was last modified on 10/10/2007
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