Sunday, November 11, 2007

The One Hundred Dollar Chain

To understand this post, you need to go to my friend Jim Hunter's blog and read It's a Vicious Cycle @ As Jim Sees It. I saw Jim this past Friday and we talked about the odd circumstances he tells about in the blog, people giving $100 dollars and then getting $100. I thought it was kinda funny, until this morning.

You see, I had a $100 bill from a recent wedding that I'd set aside as part of a Christmas gift I intend to send to a minister friend in Sierra Leone. Heading out yesterday to a big social event out of town, I realized I had less than $20 in my billfold, so I stuck in the hundred dollars in case of an emergency.

At the event I ran into a young mother who I knew had been going through some tight financial times. So I quietly took out the $100 as I talked with her, and put it in her hand as I told her it was just some extra money I'd come across. I felt she needed it then, so the Christmas gift could wait.

This morning right before the second service began, I was near the Narthex, talking with an usher. I felt a tap on my shoulder and there was a member wanting my attention. As I shook his hand, I felt him press some paper in my palm. He smiled and said, "Use this wherever you need it."

As he walked down the aisle, I looked in my hand and saw two folded fifty dollar bills. OK, what's going on here?

4 comments:

Joseph said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joseph said...

Why don't you give it to me and see what happens next?

Anonymous said...

Maybe you have to have a big enough bill to make this work. I often find myself giving away $5 and rarely every find a fiver pressed into my hand.

And maybe it has to do with who you are sharing it with. I suppose my own kids doesn't count.

Stephen Taylor said...

Joseph, I already know what would happen if I gave it to you. Ever seen the picture of Jesus laughing?