Well, you all had some good guesses, however, the government had to ration sugar & butter, and most breads, cookies as we know require one of these two ingredients. So the Girl Scouts decided to develop for their 1944 season, calendars which they sold for 25 cents. By 1946 the supply for cookie ingredients had recovered, so G. S. had returned to production. Just as a side note, by 1950 (the year I was born) they expanded a number of new flavors.
Tuesday 3/21
Prov. 29:7 "The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don't care at all."
This first comparison relates to the poor & down trodden.
Notice, the response of those who are followers of God. They not only attempt to help with their physical
needs, they also care, or consider, take action when justice is withheld from the poor.
Job 29:16 After Jobs struggles, notice just how he responded to the poor "I was a father to the poor
and assisted strangers who needed help."
Prov. 31:9 "Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice."
Prov. 22:22 "Don't rob the the poor just because you can, or exploit the needy in court."
The second comparison, points out that those who place no value in God's ways, not only don't care for the poor, but they don't even understand the needs that they suffer with.
In other words they don't even have any interest in showing concern, or compassion for those who are
needy, their physical needs, and ultimately justice for their lives. There are so many people today who
are in desperate need for others to have compassion on them. Even those who have great fame, and
fortune also have a need for people who genuinely care for them. Not because of the things the can do
for them, but just simple concern for their humanness.
As we look all around us, there are those folks who need someone to care for them, but particularly for ther soul. When we come into contact with those who are "weak & weary laden". The most important thing that we can do for them is to pray with them, for it is this exercise of humbling ourselves before a loving, caring Father, that begins this process of God's grace & mercy flowing out of our hearts onto their souls.
When St. Patrick was kidnapped by pirates, and sold into slavery, it was the memory he had of his family coming before the Father in humility & prayer, that held him strong. He upon realizing that first he was a sinner and that he needed to repent & call upon God for forgiveness began His journey to healing & strength.
As he began talking to his Heavenly Father throughout the day, he moved on from anger, frustration, and despair. Then he began to see life through his Fathers eyes. He began to experience real freedom, fullness, and joy, then he began his journey of telling others of God's love for them.
He began his quest to read the Bible he had received during his stowaway days with the pirates. He found the Bible in the hold of the ship where his work was confined on his journey to Ireland. He was too angry to read or gain comfort from it then, but upon being chained & imprisoned he began to read & then slowly talking to God. Once he came to the understanding that he was a sinner, he surrendered to God for forgiveness &. healing. He then began to talk with other prisoners & guards, telling them of his relationship with a loving Father.
They at first laughed at him, but upon witnessing his care & compassion for them, they began to understand through his care in a small part, the reflection of his Fathers love, that Patrick began to pour out on them. In time he began to in the evening talk about his Father, and what God taught him that day. He would talk about their needs, some guards had physical needs, he prayed for them, and God brought healing to their bodies. One guard had a very sick daughter, who later died, he ask Patrick to go with him & pray for her to be brought back to life. He under the cover of night took him to his home. Patrick told the family that if God did heal her it was in God's power not his.
He then told them that the greatest source of power was among those who had placed their trust in God as their Savior. He then led them in the sinners prayer. Then they all placed their hands on her, and they prayed for her to be healed. That night after she wasn't healed, Patrick comforted them in their sorrow, the guard returned him to his cell.
The next morning as Patrick was preparing to go out to the fields to care for his herds, the guard came beating on the door. His daughter during the night had awoken from death & walked into he & his wife's room, asking for food.
After this the prison began a study of the Bible with Patrick. He faithfully lead these men to learn of God and His ways. When God spoke to Patrick that it was time to travel back to England, the soldiers internally refused to bring him back, but instead convince their superiors that they weren't able to find him.
That's the story behind the story. This testimony confirms our lesson today. Imagine a young boy who was kidnapped, stolen away, sold into slavery, then became burdened for these men's souls, and a guards daughter. This weighed so heavily on Patrick's heart that he led the family in a sinners prayer and then prayed for their dead sister to be returned to life. Then after she is not healed spends much of the night comforting this grieving family.
So Go With God for He loves the needy in our world, with an everlasting love. So pour out His love on those who need to witness that love through you. He will give you eyes to see just who they are.