Act Crazy Sometimes

One day Abe Lincoln and his partner were lounging on the verandah of their little grocery store in New Salem, Illinois. They were discussing the coming failure of their business. As Lincoln put it, "I reckon our business is just about winked out." His part­ner was worried, but Lincoln was eager to get free of the store and somehow become a lawyer.

As they stood there swapping miseries a covered wagon stopped at the store. In it was a family who had failed in Illinois and was heading farther west. They had no money, and the man offered Abe a barrel for fifty cents. He had no use for the barrel but he bought it to help out the poor family. Later his friends laughed at him for being such an easy mark. "Abe's been took!" they guffawed.

Lincoln joined them in their fun, but as he was examining the inside of his barrel he found some books wrapped up in a rag. He pulled them out and unwrapped them. And, wonder of wonders, one of the volumes was entitled "Commentaries on the Laws of England" by Sir William Blackstone. It was the lack of this book before that had kept Lincoln from studying law. That fifty cents that he "gave away" started him toward the White House.

Do something crazy once in a while—especially if it means helping someone else out at your own expense, for an unselfish act is never lost or wasted. Someone is bound to profit by it, and yourself most of all. What you lose from your pocket will return to your heart.

Ask God to keep you from always playing it safe.