Once upon a time there was a boy who loved God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; and who wanted to bring God’s love to everyone. And, although he was just a little boy, and didn’t have any money – he had the love of his Savior inside him. Jesus loved this little boy too.

The little boy would listen again and again and again to the beautiful stories of how Jesus loved and healed the sick and the poor – and how Jesus stood up to the evil people who hurt them. The little boy also knew that Jesus loved animals, after all – He was born in a barn.

This same little boy promised God that as soon as he was old enough, he would care for the poor people, as a way of saying thanks to God for sending Jesus. God’s heart was with the poor and the lonely, because God had been made sad and hurt by many people too. The little boy knew this was true. He prayed to God and asked his heavenly Father to show him how he could help God’s children who were being hurt.

As the boy grew older he went to high school, where he took some shop courses to learn how to build and make electricity work. He had promised God he would help the poor, and this was how God told him he could do it.

After graduation, he worked his way through college, while volunteering and putting away as much as he could from his pay, because he had made a promise to God and besides – he loved the poor people.

One day, the boy, who was now a man, was told by God to build an orphanage – an orphanage! Did he hear God right? Shyly, and with his usual innocence, he asked God if He, God, was sure about His command. And God said He was.

The boy was shocked and scared, but as he read his Bible, he saw many examples of people being asked to do something very big for God. “OK God,” he said. “You want an orphanage for the little folks? Fine. I’ll build one for you.” He spoke humbly to his Creator, but inside he was shaking.

Days passed and drawings got made, thrown out, and re-made. “How does a person build an orphanage?” he asked himself, but quickly answered:” Wait a minute, it’s not me who will build it – I’m just the hammer and saw; It’s God’s building, His house, which means He’ll help me. Perhaps He will send me some helpers.”

To make this happen, the man, whose name had gone from Danny to Dan, asked his old school friends if they could help. And, thankfully, they really did help him in so many ways; as they gave him many great ideas, and even better: many great suggestions. However better yet, when he asked them if they could actually help him with the work, they said they’d let him know. One of them was heard to say he’d pray for Dan’s orphanage, and another said that God would bless Dan.

The weeks tuned into months, and then seasons passed; and still Dan asked and waited for some helpers. He reassured himself by saying,”Well – maybe they are too busy with more important things. After all, two of them had told Dan they would contact him, just as soon as they got back from vacation. “A voice inside Dan said,” Never mind Dan, you’ll get it done with or without them. Besides that, it’s you that God asked.”

Dan was confident he’d get many helpers; after all, he had the Bible on his side. Didn’t God say those who helped the poor would be blessed, and that we had a serious responsibility for them? Well then, that was enough for Dan.

Since Dan was anxious to please God, while waiting for the volunteers to volunteer, he started the orphanage himself. He reasoned that it wouldn’t be long before there would be dozens of good people showing up to help; so he’d just go ahead and start it himself. He knew the people in his town would be only too happy to share the goodness that God had given them, because they had healthy children, good jobs, and comfortable lives; therefore they would love to give some of it back to God. Besides, in the Bible – didn’t it say that God loves a cheerful giver; and wasn’t there a story about a widow who gave everything she owned to help the church.

As the months passed, Dan became puzzled, because nobody arrived to help. When he asked them, they all had good reasons: they needed to paint the cottage or refit the motor on their boat or go to the local flower festival or…Dan prayed.

Dan noticed a lot of people in his town stating how proud they were to be Christian; so Dan figured they would be the best ones to ask for money and materials. He tried the Christian owner of the lumber yard, and the man told Dan how proud he was to have a friend like Dan, who took the Lord’s word seriously, and how honored he would be to help Dan build his orphanage. However, if only Dan had asked him last month, before he had started his expansion…Still, he told Dan that God would help him. Dan left the lumber yard without a single cent, but at least he had the best wishes of its wealthy owner. Dan wondered how many best wishes it would take to build his orphanage.

Next, Dan met with some of the local Christian businessmen to see if they could help, and they did. They taught him about fixed and variable costs, liability insurance, amortized mortgages, and…Dan learned so much from the nice men, that he didn’t even notice his empty pockets as he left.

One day, Dan was sitting in the park in the town’s square, when he noticed an old couple sitting there and feeding the squirrels; so, since he always welcomed every opportunity to talk about Jesus, he walked up to them. They both greeted him with politeness, but the man had an angry look about him.

After they had exchanged introductions and talked a little about the weather, the elderly man suddenly sat up straight and fixed Dan with an angry look. “Look son,” he said, “I’ve seen and been hearing that you want to build an orphanage. Is this true?” Dan said it was.

“Would you take the advice of an old fool?” Dan said he would be honored, and the man’s wife smiled and smoothed her husband’s hair off his forehead. “Ben’s a nice man – he loves Jesus – and he’s been a pretty good husband, but –“But I can’t stand people who try to mock God!” The man was plenty angry now.

“Sir. What do you mean?” asked Dan innocently. “Oh boy, now you’ve asked for trouble,” said the lady with a giggle.

“What I mean, is that a youngster like you has the love and fire of God in you, but if you are going to place your trust in people – then you’re going to loose every time. Put your trust in God.”

Dan was still young, which meant he didn’t really understand what the old man was saying; however, he had the intelligence to ask the man to continue. The old man told him a story of how his father had come back from the First World War to a hero’s welcome – in fact – he had led the parade of returning veterans through the very same square they were now sitting in. At first, everybody was thanking God for the return of the brave soldiers and crying for the families of those who had lost their boys to the war, but soon, life picked up again and the hurting families got forgotten.

The man told of wanting to build a home for the old soldiers, and how everybody had thought it was a great idea – and how nobody had stepped forward to help. He said that this was to be expected from non-Christians, but disgraceful amongst believers. The wife placed her hand gently on her husband’s arm to cool down his anger. Dan was young, but was also old enough to feel the dignity in an honest man’s anger. This man had been betrayed by people who had been too lazy, busy, selfish, and ungodly to honor their Savior by helping those in need.

As the meeting talked itself out, and the three Christians were about ready to leave, the man’s wife stood up gracefully, straightened her skirt, and looked at her husband in the way that only a strong and godly woman can. “Bill,” she said firmly. “You’ve held in the hurt of false Christians for over thirty years, and now this youngster comes up to us, out of nowhere, and says he’s suffering for the same illness. Well?” “Well,” he replied with a smile that only a southerner could understand, “I’m gonna build the place with him, if God will spare me from joining him for a little while.”

“And?” she asked while rubbing her fingers and thumb together. “And, we’ll give all that we are able,” he replied with a contented grin. A deal had been struck which would bring godly people of two generations together to do their Father’s will.

The story has a happy ending: the orphanage didn’t get built, but the old couple donated their house to use as an orphanage instead. Dan is now married to a sweet girl and they have a son. He loves the Lord just like his parents do, and wants to be like his dad. When Dan Jr. is asked about life, he says that to be too busy for God is to insult our Creator; after all, doesn’t it say in the Bible that God is kind to those who care for the poor. Amen.

God bless you.