DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK!
There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a
studious man who taught at a small college in the western United
States.
Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity
at this
particular institution. Every student was required to take this
course his
or her freshman year, regardless of his or her major.
Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of
the
gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon
the
course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts,
most
students refused to take Christianity seriously
This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve.
Steve was
only a freshman but was studying with the intent of going into the
seminary
for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well-liked and he was an
imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the
school
football team, and was the best student in the Professor's class.
One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he
could talk
with him. "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good Steve," Dr. Christianson said, "Do you
think you
could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know. I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I
need
you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of 10 for this to work. Can
you do
it? I need you to tell me you can do it!" said the Professor.
Steve said, "Well, I think I can. Yeah, I can do it."
Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let
me
explain what I have in mind."
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the
room.
When class started, the Professor pulled out a big box of
doughnuts. No,
these weren't the normal kinds of doughnuts; they were the extra
fancy BIG
kind with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty
excited
it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get
an
early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson' s class.
Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked,
"Cynthia, do you want to have one of these doughnuts?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you
do ten
push-ups so that Cynthia can have a doughnut."
"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.
Then Steve again sat in the desk. Dr. Christianson then put a
doughnut on
Cynthia's desk.
Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe,
do you
want a doughnut?"
Joe said, "Yes."
Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Joe can
have a
doughnut."
Steve did ten push-ups; Joe got a doughnut. And so it went, down
the first
aisle. Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their
doughnut.
Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott.
Scott was
on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was
very
popular and never lacked for female companionship.
When the Professor asked, "Scott, do you want a doughnut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own
push-ups?"
Dr. Christianson said, "No. Steve has to do them"
Then Scott replied, "No, I don't want one then."
Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and
asked, "Steve, would
you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a doughnut he doesn't want."
With perfect obedience, Steve started to do ten push-ups.
Scott said, "Hey! I said I didn't want one!"
Dr. Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my
desk and
these are my doughnuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want
it."
And he put a doughnut on Scott's desk.
Now, by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just
stayed
on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be
getting up
and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out
around
his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now, the
students
were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny,
"Jenny, do you want a doughnut?"
Sternly, Jenny said, "NO!"
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve would you do ten more push-
ups so
that Jenny can have a doughnut she doesn't want." Steve did ten;
Jenny got
the doughnut.
By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room.
The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these
uneaten
doughnuts on the desks. Steve also had to really put forth a lot of
extra
effort to get these push-ups done for each doughnut. There began to
be a
small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow
were
beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in
the
class, to watch Steve do each push-up to make sure he did the full
ten
push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's
work for
all those uneaten doughnuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was
so
Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson
started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some
students from
other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the
radiators
that ran down the sides of the room. When the Professor realized
this, he
did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the
room. He
started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.
Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the
next. Near
the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was
taking a
lot more time to complete each set.
Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on
each
one?"
Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups.
You're
in charge now. You can do them any way you want." And Dr.
Christianson went
on.
A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student came to the
room and
was about to come in when all the students yelled in one
voice, "NO! Don't
come in! Stay out!"
Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and
said,
"No. Let him come in."
Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in,
you will
have to do ten push-ups for him."
Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a doughnut."
Dr. Christianson said, "Okay Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of
the way
right now. Jason, do you want a doughnut?"
Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he
said,
"Give me a doughnut."
"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a doughnut?"
Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason,
bewildered, was handed a doughnut and sat down.
Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row and then started on those
visitors
seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-
up in
a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this
time,
sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound
except his
heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.
The very last two students in the room were two young women, both
cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the
second
to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"
Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."
Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-
ups so
Linda can have a doughnut that she doesn't want."
Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.
Then, Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do
you want
a doughnut?"
Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr.
Christianson,
why can't I help him?"
Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do
it
alone. I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that
everyone has an opportunity for a doughnut whether they want it or
not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at
my grade
book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade.
Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me
inferior
work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes
up he
must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my
party
unless he paid the price by doing your push-ups. He and I made a
deal for
your sakes."
"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a doughnut."
As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the
understanding that
he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350
push-ups,
his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that
our
Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, 'into Thy
hands I
commend my spirit.' with the understanding that he had done
everything that
was required of Him, He yielded up his life. And, like some of
those in
this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk uneaten."
Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically
exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. "Well done, good and faithful
servant," said the Professor, adding, "Not all sermons are preached
in
words."
Turning to his class, the Professor said, "My wish is that you might
understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy
that have
been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us
all,
for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to
accept
his gift to us, the price has been paid.
"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the
desk?"
Tue Oct 24, 2006 9:42 am