He Gave All He Had

Here is a story, about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town
in Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community.
A church there had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door
one Saturday afternoon.

The child came to answer the door and greeted the pastor.

The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy
told him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at
home to take care of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn't
believe what the little child said and asked him to repeat it. The
youngster gave the same answer and the bus pastor asked to come
in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down
on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus pastor
asked the child, "Where do you go to church?"

The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, " I've never been
to a church in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself
about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the
child's house.

"Are you sure you've never been to church?" he asked again.

"I'm sure I haven't," came his answer.

Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to
church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and
then he proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old
boy.

The young lad's heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the
bus pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive
this free gift from God. The youngster exclaimed, "OF COURSE!"

The child and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited
Jesus into his heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both
stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the child up for
church the next morning.

"Sure," the nine year old replied.

The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found
the lights off. He let himself in and walked his way through the house
and found the little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy
and his brother and helped them get dressed. They got on the bus
and ate a doughnut for breakfast on the way to church.

Keep in mind that this little boy had never been to church before.

The church was a real big one. The little child just sat there, clueless
of what was going on. A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy
guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates.
One of the men prayed and the child with utter fascination watched
them walk up and down the aisles. He still didn't know what was going
on. Suddenly like a bolt of lightning, it hit the child what was taking place.

The people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free
gift of life he had just received just twenty-four hours earlier. He
immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and he couldn't find
a thing to give Jesus.

By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and, with
a broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held onto it. He finally let
go and watched it passed on down the aisle. He turned around to see it
passed down the aisle behind him.

And then his eyes remained glazed on the plate as it was passed back and
forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary.

Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and every
body got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the
usher by the coat and asked him to hold the plate one more time. Then he
did the most astonishing thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat
it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it.

As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said, "Jesus, I don't have
anything to give you today, but just me."
"I give you me."

Author Known To God