Cast Your Bread on the Waters, It Will Come Back

I’m reminded of a story told of a poor young Christian man named Howard who was trying to sell different goods door-to-door to help pay his way through school. The art of selling wasn’t going so good and the young man didn’t eat well. One day as he went door-to-door he decided he would ask for something to eat at the next house, but when a young lady came to the door he lost his nerve and only asked for a drink of water. 

Now the young woman noticed his hungry look so instead she brought him a large glass of milk. The young man thanked her and asked if he owed anything, but she declined as she said that she never accepted pay for a kindness. As Howard left he felt stronger, and his faith in God and man also felt stronger. He had been ready to quit and give up on working his way through school. 

Many years later the same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors could not help her so they sent her to the bigger city doctors and specialists to see if they could find a cure for her. One of the doctors called on to come and take a look at this woman was Howard Kelly. The doctor recognized her at once when he came into her room. He became determined to do his best to save the young woman’s life giving her case special attention. After a long struggle for life the young lady recovered. When it was time for her to be dismissed from the hospital, there was a note attached to her records that said to bring her final bill to Dr. Kelly for approval. 

When the young lady received her bill, which she knew she’d have to pay off throughout the rest of her life, there on it was Howard Kelly’s handwriting that read, “Paid in full with one glass of milk.”

Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do so.”