A significant number of Americans are caffeine addicts. Most of these are coffee aficionados. For my part, I’m not much of a coffee drinker. But I do like an occasional glass of “Southern Syrup”, also known as sweet iced tea!
But my real weakness is Diet Coke. Being a preacher, I like to jokingly tell people the term “diet Coke” derives from the ancient Greek language and means “nectar of Heaven”.
Several of the members of our church staff, however, seemingly cannot get through the day without one or two large cups of Joe. Today’s post is for them.
Evangelist Albert Kang shares the following first-hand account of a trip he made to Venice, Italy – a place world famous for its coffee.
(Venetian merchants first discovered coffee in Africa nd India back in the 1500’s. They brought it back to Europe and founded the first European cafes, or coffee houses, as early as the 1600’s. It is for these reasons that many who visit Venice today seek out the world famous cafes to be found there.)
In any event, Albert writes:
I sat with my good friend within a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring area of Venice, Italy, typically the city of lights in addition to water.
As we liked our coffee, a person entered and sat from an empty table alongside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.”
We all heard this order together with rather interest and seen that he was dished up with one cup of Joe nevertheless he paid for a couple of.
When he left, typically the waiter put a part of paper on typically the wall saying “A cup of Coffee”.
While we all were still there, a couple of other men entered in and ordered three cups coffee, two on typically the table and another on the wall. They had 2 cups of coffee nevertheless paid for three. This time likewise, the waiter did a similar; he put a part of paper within the wall structure saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.
It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.
After some days, we had the opportunity to go to that coffee shop again. While we all were enjoying our coffee man poorly dressed up entered. As he sitting down himself, he looked from the wall and mentioned, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”
The cashier served coffee to the person with the customary value and dignity. The person had his coffee and left without paying.
We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the trash bin
Today it was not surprising regarding us – the whole matter was now very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears.
Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted. He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem… he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee… without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him… he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.
A truly beautiful thought. Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!
Who can read this wonderful story without being reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40?
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
This kind of makes me want to have my own “off the wall” experience. I hope it does for you as well. For what greater blessing can there be than to do some kind, anonymous deed for another human being in the name of Jesus Christ?!
STORY SOURCE:
http://aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com/search/label/Paying%20Forward.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
http://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/25.htm.
SEE ALSO:
http://www.theovercomers.info/albert-kang/.
But my real weakness is Diet Coke. Being a preacher, I like to jokingly tell people the term “diet Coke” derives from the ancient Greek language and means “nectar of Heaven”.
Several of the members of our church staff, however, seemingly cannot get through the day without one or two large cups of Joe. Today’s post is for them.
Evangelist Albert Kang shares the following first-hand account of a trip he made to Venice, Italy – a place world famous for its coffee.
(Venetian merchants first discovered coffee in Africa nd India back in the 1500’s. They brought it back to Europe and founded the first European cafes, or coffee houses, as early as the 1600’s. It is for these reasons that many who visit Venice today seek out the world famous cafes to be found there.)
In any event, Albert writes:
I sat with my good friend within a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring area of Venice, Italy, typically the city of lights in addition to water.
As we liked our coffee, a person entered and sat from an empty table alongside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.”
We all heard this order together with rather interest and seen that he was dished up with one cup of Joe nevertheless he paid for a couple of.
When he left, typically the waiter put a part of paper on typically the wall saying “A cup of Coffee”.
While we all were still there, a couple of other men entered in and ordered three cups coffee, two on typically the table and another on the wall. They had 2 cups of coffee nevertheless paid for three. This time likewise, the waiter did a similar; he put a part of paper within the wall structure saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.
It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.
After some days, we had the opportunity to go to that coffee shop again. While we all were enjoying our coffee man poorly dressed up entered. As he sitting down himself, he looked from the wall and mentioned, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”
The cashier served coffee to the person with the customary value and dignity. The person had his coffee and left without paying.
We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the trash bin
Today it was not surprising regarding us – the whole matter was now very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears.
Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted. He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem… he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee… without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him… he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.
A truly beautiful thought. Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!
Who can read this wonderful story without being reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40?
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
This kind of makes me want to have my own “off the wall” experience. I hope it does for you as well. For what greater blessing can there be than to do some kind, anonymous deed for another human being in the name of Jesus Christ?!
STORY SOURCE:
http://aksermonillustrations.blogspot.com/search/label/Paying%20Forward.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
http://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/25.htm.
SEE ALSO:
http://www.theovercomers.info/albert-kang/.