>>>Donuts <<<<

Subject: Fwd: DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK



> > > *DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK* (worth the read!)
> > >
> > > 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 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 onto 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 ten 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 donuts.
> > > No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, 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 donuts?"
> > >
> > > Cynthia said, "Yes."
> > >
> > > Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do
> > > ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
> > >
> > > "Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve
> > > again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.
> > >
> > > Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do
> > > you want a donut?"
> > >
> > > Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten
> > > push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"
> > >
> > > Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first
> > > aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their
> > > donut.
> > >
> > > 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 lacking for female companionship.
> > >
> > > When the professor asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
> > >
> > > Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"
> > >
> > > Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
> > >
> > > Then Scott said, "Well, 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 donut 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 desks,
> > > and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want
> > > it." And he put a donut 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 donut?"
> > >
> > > Sternly, Jenny said, "No."
> > >
> > > Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more
> > > push-ups so Jenny can
> > > have a donut that she doesn't want?"
> > >
> > > Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.
> > >
> > > By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were
> > > beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the
> > > desks.
> > >
> > > Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these
> > > push-ups done for each donut.
> > > 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 of those
> > > uneaten donuts. 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
> > > are in charge now. You can do them any way that 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."
> > >
> > > 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 donut"
> > >
> > > Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the
> > > way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"
> > >
> > > Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said,
> > > "give me a donut."
> > >
> > > "Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"
> > >
> > > Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason,
> > > bewildered, was handed a donut 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 that Linda can have a donut 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 donut?"
> > >
> > > 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 donut 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 donut?"
> > >
> > > 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?"
> > >
> > > Share this with someone. It's bound to touch their heart and demonstrate
> > > Salvation in a very special way.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ********************************************
> > > "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is
> > > a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." --A.
> > > Einstein