An
old story goes like this:
Little Leroy went
to his mother demanding a new bicycle. His mother decided that he should take a
look at himself and the way he acted.
She
said, "Well, Leroy, it isn't Christmas and we don't have the money to just
go out and buy you anything you want. So why don't you write a letter to Jesus
and pray for one instead."
After
his temper tantrum, his mother sent him to his room. He finally sat down to
write a letter to Jesus:
Dear Jesus:
I've
been a good boy this year and would appreciate a new bicycle.
Your
Friend,
Leroy.
Now, Leroy knew that Jesus really knew what kind of boy he was (he was a brat). So
he ripped up the letter and decided to give it another try:
Dear Jesus:
I've
been an OK boy this year and I want a new bicycle.
Yours
Truly,
Leroy
Well,
Leroy knew this wasn't totally honest so he tore it up and tried again:
Dear Jesus:
I've
thought about being a good boy this year and can I have a bicycle?
Leroy
Well,
Leroy looked deep down in his heart, which by the way, was what his mother
really wanted. He knew he had been terrible and was deserving of almost
nothing. He crumpled up the letter, threw it in the trashcan and went running
outside. He aimlessly wandered about depressed because of the way he treated
his parents and was really considering his actions.
He
finally found himself in front of a Catholic Church. Leroy went inside and
knelt down, looking around not knowing what he should really do.
Leroy
finally got up and began to walk out the door and was looking at all the statues.
All of a sudden he grabbed a small one and ran out the door.
He
went home, hid it under his bed and wrote this letter:
Jesus,
I've
got your mama. If you ever want to see her again, give me a bike.
You
know who.
It
is easy to jump on Leroy, but before we do, let us consider this: do we ever
attempt to coerce Jesus to get what we want?
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