Are You God?
The little lad on the train station platform was selling apples. Lots of kids did that during the Great Depression. This tyke had no family and no other visible means of support.
Each day he bought two dozen apples from the fruit stand, then sold them to busy travelers. Most of the time he would make enough money for the next day’s supply plus a hot meal each evening.
Today he was there as usual, hawking the shiny apples he had carefully polished on his one–and–only shirt. A businessman watched sadly from the train as the thin, hungry child held up his glossy, red fruit, shouting in a thin, wispy voice, “Fresh apples, just five cents each. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Get y’er apples here.”
Without warning another man, hurrying to catch his train, crashed into the boy, half–hidden by the milling crowd. To the lad’s horror, the apples rocketed off in a dozen directions: two rolled under the train, another was crushed by scurrying feet, one or two were snatched up by opportunistic people on the platform.
Seeing the destruction of his tiny business—his only means of survival—the youngster cried out in panic and began running back and forth, trying to rescue a few apples before his entire life savings was gone.
And then a tall, well–dressed man was shoving people aside, his booming voice calling again and again, “Watch out for the apples. Don’t ruin the apples!” He and the lad rushed back and forth, rescuing, one–by–one, the precious fruit. It was the man who had watched from the train.
In less than two minutes the child and his lanky benefactor rounded up the errant apples—but five were lost. With a kind smile the man handed the boy a quarter. “Here,” he said, “this should cover your losses.” Then he turned to re–board the train.
“Mister,” the child yelled after him, “are you God?”
“No,” the man laughed, “I’m not God. But I am one of His friends.”
That could be my dream come true. If someone saw me living my daily life and asked if I was God. The answer would be a resounding, "No, I'm not God." And then I would add, "But I am one of His friends."
