After Big Church, JoJo and his family ate lunch at his grandmother's house. Granny Cassie was a Big Lady, but her heart was as big as her physique. She often told JoJo about heroes of the Bible. She really repeated the ones in which the individual had OVERCOME. Granny Cassie loved the word OVERCOME! She had lived through the Depression and several wars. She had lost her husband, but never her faith. Some would say she was a lady of modest means. JoJo thought she was just "plain poor." As they ate lunch that day, it hit him----Granny Cassie is the happiest lady he have ever known. And, she is poor! Somehow the American Dream had been engrained in JoJo since Kindergarten. He was always thinking about his career--even when he was 5 years-old! Suddenly, JoJo had a new view of the meaning of success. It had nothing to do with money! As a matter of fact, he knew to be successful, all he needed to do was to GIVE freely---like the words of the song the choir sang that morning in Big Church.
JoJo wanted to be right with God.
JoJo wanted to be happy.
JoJo wanted to have peace.
Granny Cassie had all three. As much as he admired his father, he was often caught up in the world's problems and fretting over his business. He knew poor people had a lot of things rough, but maybe the fact that money did not stand in their way of God, was a good thing. A very good thing. He knew all poor people were not Christians, but he bet many really strong Christians were poor or had been poor. JoJo had no Biblical basis for this theory, but he was going to look into it immediately. Thoughts of Samantha flooded his mind! He knew the guys were going to rag him unmercifully if talked to her, but he had to.
When JoJo got home from Granny Cassie's late that Sunday afternoon, he prayed.
Lord, I am clueless on many things, but I know you want me to have a better attitude toward people I think of as poor. JoJo picked up his Bible, and turned to Mark. He read and scanned the first few chapters, then he stopped and read Mark 12:41-44 three times. It read...
41. Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42. Then a poor widow came and dropped in 2 small coins.
43. Jesus called his disciples to Him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."
JoJo thought, "WOW! This lady had great faith! Plus what seemed to be little was much! I don't have much, but I can help Samantha...But how??"
Monday mornings were always tough. JoJo was Not a morning person, and Mondays seemed like a different dimension! When he arrived at SHS, he didn't see any of his buddies. Lo and behold, there was Samantha. He knew this was no coincidence. He wanted to talk to her, but what would he say???
"Hi, Samantha."
"Hey, JoJo."
"Ummm. I just wanna say I am really sorry for the way I have treated you in the past. And, it won't happen again!"
Samantha remained silent for 11 seconds, then she spoke. "JoJo, you and your friends have hurt me bad. I don't know why you are saying this. Please don't let this be a cruel joke!"
"No way! This is not a joke. God helped me realize what a jerk I've been."
"Wait, you are one of those Jesus-Freaks. Aren't you?!"
JoJo thought for 6 seconds. "Yes, I am a Jesus-Freak."
"Well, get away from me. You are full of empty promises!"
"Samantha?!
"I said, 'Go!'"
JoJo decided the best thing to do was to go. As he walked away from Samantha, the guys were coming toward him.
"Hey buddy, got a new girlfriend," Tommy asked.
JoJo retorted, "Maybe."
The guys died laughing!!
JoJo prayed, "God, help!!!!!"
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