01522

A father and his small son went out late one evening to look at the wheat field.  The little boy wandered off.  After some lapse, the father realized what had happened and started looking for his son.  Frantically he called for him, but to no avail.  He then returned to the little town and solicited the help of others.  They then returned to the area where the child was lost and searched diligently for him; but, still to no avail.  Finally, one suggested that the searching party join hands and march across the field, combing it foot by foot.  After a while they came upon the lifeless form of the little boy.  The silence that settled over the group was broken only by the whispers “Isn’t it tragic that we did not join hands sooner?”  God wants us to join hands in the local church, to cooperate, to work together.  To do otherwise would indeed be tragic.

Giving with a Purpose, Wendell Winkler, page 39