Never Underestimate Your Power
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home
from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be
a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon),
so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running
toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed
in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He
looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over
to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped
him pick up his books, and asked him wherehe lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked
him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would
have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried
some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little
football with my friends He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends
thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of
books again.
I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of
books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to
think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we
would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor,
and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I
teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so
glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself
during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had
and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could
see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
"Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those
who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings,
maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to
someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had
planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his
Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave
me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest
moment I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that
moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's
life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some
way. Look for God in others.
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home
from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be
a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon),
so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running
toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed
in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He
looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over
to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped
him pick up his books, and asked him wherehe lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked
him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would
have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried
some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little
football with my friends He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends
thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of
books again.
I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of
books everyday!"
He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to
think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we
would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor,
and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I
teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so
glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself
during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had
and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could
see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
"Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began "Graduation is a time to thank those
who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings,
maybe a coach...but mostly your friends... I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to
someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had
planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his
Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave
me a little smile.
"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest
moment I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that
moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's
life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some
way. Look for God in others.
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