Two beggars could teach us plenty

It wasn't hard to get up before sunrise. The night had been muggy, with mosquitoes buzzing about, plus they'd slept right on the ground. Jody thought he was stiffer than he should be at 16. But he was glad this old man had come along. He seemed to be someone he could trust, someone who knew the ropes.

Neither one had any food, but the stream nearby was fast and cold, so they had risked drinking a little late last night. "You sick?" old Corky asked. "Nope? Then let's get us another swig of water before we start. Riverton is only six miles away."

As they hiked along, Corky advised the runaway on the fine art of panhandling. "Nothin' to it, really," he admitted. "Just be polite. You start with the first house, knock on the door, and ask if you can do some chores for food. No luck there, you go to the next. Any Mickey Dee bags on the avenue, you look in to see if someone didn't eat all their fries. You spot someone walking their dog, you ask 'em for spare change. Simple."

By the time the two were just halfway through town, their bellies were full, their pockets jingling. They didn't even mind when the sheriff hurried them through the second half.

The Master taught we must stand before God as beggars. Not working-poor folks, but the not-a-penny, haven't-eaten-since-Friday kind of beggars. And what do beggars do? They ask, seek, knock! True, we are and deserve to be spiritual beggars. But God doesn't treat us like beggars. From the treasure trove of His grace He endows blessings on us as dearly beloved children.

If beggars get their fill from asking, seeking, and knocking, what about us children of the King? We don't get more wisdom because we don't ask. We don't have more evangelistic studies when we don't seek. The golden door to serve our community for Jesus stays locked up when we don't knock. You know when we will start asking, seeking, and knocking? When we are hungry for it--as hungry as Jody and Corky.