Inspirational Short Stories. Donald Ray "Butch" Smith

running around the bases looking and moving like an old man.

      So, kids, don’t grow up to be like some of the guys that I used to work with who complained so much that it made me sick at my heart and stomach to hear the same thing over and over every day, except on payday.

      Kids, I see nothing but greatness in all of you. I see book writers, I see doctors, I see music artists, I see movie stars, I see painting artists, and I see professional athletes and so on.

      Children, obey your parents in the Lord. Be courageous, be daring, be strong. If you have a job, be thankful that God has blessed you with one because he didn’t have to. Do the best work that you can do while working. If there’s something that you want that neither you nor your parents have the money to get it, ask for what you want. If you can’t get it by asking, ask someone, could you earn the money by doing a chore for them? Don’t take the shortcut in life by selling drugs or stealing because you will end up in a place that you would regret, and that’s in jail or even in the graveyard.

      chapter 6

      GIANTS IN PEOPLE LIVES

      Once upon a time, there was a man named Jack. One day he went to the local convenience store and bought a dollar scratch-off ticket and won five dollars. As he continued to play, he would win some and lose some.

      Later on in life, he moved up in his gambling addiction by playing at the casino. He would win some and lose some. His addiction had become so great that he had sold all his clothes except for that blue shirt and one pair of blue jeans. He lost his new car, his new house, and his wife and job. There was nothing for him to do. Jack found himself living on the streets. Jack, who never attended church, was asked by a church member to come to church the following Sunday. Jack came to church just as he was, with no shoes on his feet, and had not taken a bath in a while. The expression on Jack’s face stated that he was heavily burdened. The preacher was preaching about how God is a burden barrow.

      Some people in the congregation were laughing at him, and some were holding their nose, but Jack didn’t notice any of it; as the preacher preached, the spirit of the Lord came upon Jack. Jack came to the altar and gave his life to Jesus, and from that day on, Jack was free from his gambling addiction.

      chapter 7

      NEGATIVE PEOPLE

      This is a story about negative people. Did you know that there are Christian people who attend church and will say negative words to you and about you to hurt your feelings? I thought Christian people were to love everyone and especially each other, but that’s not always the case. There are Christian people who you can ask to help you in some way, and they will turn you a rude answer. There are Christian people who see you outside church and won’t speak to you, and in church, they don’t even want to hold your hand. Come on, Christian people, we are the light of the world. The sinners are watching us.

      When we get down on our knees and pray to God to ask him to answer our prayers, what if he says, I’m not going to answer your prayers, because you stole, lied, you cheated in your relationship, and you did other bad things. In some cases, you didn’t do anything wrong.

      What if God says he’s not going to answer your prayers because you think that you are better than the other person? You may think that you’re better than someone else because of your house, vehicle, job, clothes, looks, and the relationship that you are in. I’m here to let you know there’s no one in this world that is better than anyone else. In God’s eyesight, we are all the same.

      Romans 12:16 says, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” When a person thinks that they are something, they are nothing, because they deceive themselves.

      Romans 12:3 says, “Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

      Romans 15:1–2 reads, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”

      Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.

      If you can’t say anything good about a person, don’t say anything at all. If you can’t do something good to help another person, don’t expect another person to help you when you are in need. Don’t expect God to help you.

      If sinners look out for each other just as they do in a street gang, why, as Christians, can’t we have each other’s back?

      I know that I sin and come short of the glory of Jesus Christ. Let me tell you I’m a healthy orange tree, and sometimes my tree produces a few rotten oranges. Negative people don’t try to make me be that rotten worm-infested plum tree because I am known for the fruit that I bear.

      Everyone in the Trout Creek Baptist Church knows Jason Dewayne Hatcher, who’s now a former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. I remember on many occasions he and his little brothers and sisters would come by the house to get cookies, candy, and food. Being around him just about every day, I would always tell him that he could be a professional basketball player someday. Unfortunately he chose football. I’m not saying that I’m responsible for him making it, but I do believe that at an early age, me instilling in him that he can be a professional athlete contributed to his success. I do the same thing with young people today. You can be that professional basketball player. You can be that professional coach. You can be that movie star. Even adults, I tell them, You should be using that singing talent. You should be using that drawing talent.

      There are people who know that I’ve written two books. Did I make some money? Yes. Did I make the New York Times Best Seller’s list? No. Do you want to know my goal? Maybe it’s not important to you. My goal is to have a book on the New York Times Best Seller’s list. Do you think that I can reach it? I know many are saying No way. He’s got to be crazy. Yes, that’s right, you got to be crazy to have a big dream. Do I think that I can reach it? Yes, I do. All I have to do is to work at it. Believe in myself and believe in God. For with God, all things are possible. For all you negative people out there who said that I would never write a book, all glory goes to God. For without him, I can do nothing.

      I’m not a person who’s a great English scholar, nor a person who has taken writing classes. I’m gifted from the creator and maker of the entire universe. I’m anointed by the highest God. Negative people, you may slow me down, but you can’t stop me. You may stomp me down, but I’m going to pop up somewhere else. You may hook a huge ball and chain to me, but I will drag you all the way to my finish line. As I travel down this highway to following my dream. You may throw a large rock in my pathway to stop me. You may dig a ditch for me to fall in. Let me tell you, I’m not going through you. I’m going around you. When God is for you, who can be against you? The last job I worked on I was being discussed in a conversation by my former coworkers. They were making fun of me, telling each other how will I get to Popeye’s? How will he take this certain girl out on a date? I guess he will ride her on his back? To those negative people who thought it was so funny, I’m here to let you know my Jehovah Yirei—which means the Lord, my provider—He had provided me with a car in which I didn’t have to pay a penny. Thanks to the Almighty God and thanks to Reverend Roger Green for giving me a car.

      Negative people will form their opinion about you when they don’t even know you. Negative people don’t judge you by the inside, but the outside.

      Negative people, I don’t fear you. I look to Jehovah Shlomi, the Lord, my peace. I look to Jehovah Rophi, the Lord, my healer. I look to Jehovah Roi, the Lord. my Shepherd.

      To every man, woman, boy, girl in this world, I want to let you know I love and care about you all. Little kids living in this world, don’t let negative people stop you. The little kids of Trout Creek Baptist Church youth choir motivate me with their outstanding singing talent. I’m so proud of them. I want all of you to be the best that you can be. Put God first, and you can climb any mountain. I want you all to know that it’s not where you start that matters. It’s how