Shortly afterward, I stopped at a traffic light, where a desperately-poor beggar approached my car. "I need some shoes," he truthfully said, pointing to the remnants of what once had been footwear. Somewhat begrudgingly, I found myself reaching into my pocket for a dollar bill, instead finding only a $5 bill and a $20 bill. "Will you take some change?" I asked, dropping all my loose coins in his container.

As I drove away, I was overwhelmed with the awareness of the test I had just failed -- miserably failed in every respect. "I should not have hesitated to give this man $5 for shoes," I realized. "God, please forgive me and give me another chance!"

Today, in his grace, God did just that. I was getting gasoline when I saw another representative of Jesus standing at the street corner . . . crutch under his arm . . . his amputated leg clearly visible. Standing at the pump, I looked in my pocket. A $5 and a $20. Deja vu. With joy I completed my fill-up, drove into the street and over to where he stood. My traffic light was red. "This is in the name of Jesus Christ," I excitedly said as I handed him the $5 bill. He responded immediately: "A Jesus man . . . " he said. Then, looking upward, "Thank you, Lord." The words echoed in my mind. "Thank you, Lord, from me -- for the privilege and the joy of getting to be a "Jesus man." It's a baby step in obedience, to be sure, but a baby step in the right direction.

For more on obedience and works, click here.