Thomas Long tells the story...
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Thomas Long tells the story of a father and son who went jogging in an urban neighborhood. The son was a seminary student, and the father was an inner-city pastor. About halfway into their run, they decided to phone ahead for a pizza to be delivered when they got home.
As they stopped at a public pay phone, a homeless man approached them, asking if they had any spare change. The father reached into the pockets of his sweatpants and pulled out two handfuls of coins. "Here," he said to the homeless man. "Take what you need."
The homeless man, hardly believing his good fortune, said, "I'll take it all." He scooped the coins into his own hands and turned to go on his way. A moment later, the father realized he had no change for the phone. "Pardon me," he said to the homeless man. "I need to make a call. Can you spare some change?"
The homeless man turned and held out two handfuls of coins. "Here," he said. "Take what you need." (From Thomas G. Long, "Surprise Party" in The Christian Century, March 14, 2001, p. 10.)
As they stopped at a public pay phone, a homeless man approached them, asking if they had any spare change. The father reached into the pockets of his sweatpants and pulled out two handfuls of coins. "Here," he said to the homeless man. "Take what you need."
The homeless man, hardly believing his good fortune, said, "I'll take it all." He scooped the coins into his own hands and turned to go on his way. A moment later, the father realized he had no change for the phone. "Pardon me," he said to the homeless man. "I need to make a call. Can you spare some change?"
The homeless man turned and held out two handfuls of coins. "Here," he said. "Take what you need." (From Thomas G. Long, "Surprise Party" in The Christian Century, March 14, 2001, p. 10.)
