Will Work For Food
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
62 Stories For Cycle B
A well-known politician came into a large American city one day to speak at a political rally. He was running for President and his campaign was gaining more and more momentum each day.
As the politician made his way along the edge of the crowd, on the way to the speaker's platform, he came upon a man carrying a sign with large, red letters which read, "WILL WORK FOR FOOD." The man called out to the politician in a loud voice, "Mr. President, help me, I need a job!" The politician's aides and others sternly ordered the man to be quiet, but he hollered out even more loudly, "Mr. President, help me. I need a job!"
The politician stopped and said, "Tell him to come over here." His aides went to the man and said, "This is your lucky day. The candidate will speak to you. Be careful what you say."
The unemployed man dropped his sign and came immediately to talk to the politician. The politician asked, "What can I do for you, sir?"
The unemployed man replied, "Mr. President, I need a job. I am willing to do anything to feed my family."
The politician said to him, "Your persistence and your willingness to do anything to feed your family are an inspiration. You shall have a job!"
The unemployed man smiled, reached out and shook the politician's hand and said, "I accept. When do I go to work?"
A film of this strange exchange with the unemployed man was made into a campaign commercial for the politician, which was credited with launching him to the Presidency. After his inauguration, he gave the formerly unemployed man a job as a lobbyist for the Labor Department.
As the politician made his way along the edge of the crowd, on the way to the speaker's platform, he came upon a man carrying a sign with large, red letters which read, "WILL WORK FOR FOOD." The man called out to the politician in a loud voice, "Mr. President, help me, I need a job!" The politician's aides and others sternly ordered the man to be quiet, but he hollered out even more loudly, "Mr. President, help me. I need a job!"
The politician stopped and said, "Tell him to come over here." His aides went to the man and said, "This is your lucky day. The candidate will speak to you. Be careful what you say."
The unemployed man dropped his sign and came immediately to talk to the politician. The politician asked, "What can I do for you, sir?"
The unemployed man replied, "Mr. President, I need a job. I am willing to do anything to feed my family."
The politician said to him, "Your persistence and your willingness to do anything to feed your family are an inspiration. You shall have a job!"
The unemployed man smiled, reached out and shook the politician's hand and said, "I accept. When do I go to work?"
A film of this strange exchange with the unemployed man was made into a campaign commercial for the politician, which was credited with launching him to the Presidency. After his inauguration, he gave the formerly unemployed man a job as a lobbyist for the Labor Department.
