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<strong><b><font color="navy" face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span
style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: navy;">*DON'T LEAVE IT ON THE DESK*</span></font></b></strong><font
color="black" face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: Arial;"><br>
<br>
</span></font><strong><b><font color="navy" face="Tahoma" size="4"><span
style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;">There was
a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man,
who taught at a small college in the western United States. Dr.
Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this
particular institution. Every student was required to take this course
his freshman year, regardless of his or her major.</span></font></b></strong><b><font
color="navy" face="Tahoma" size="4"><span
style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 13.5pt; color: navy; font-family: Tahoma;"><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Although
Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in
his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as
nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students
refused to take Christianity seriously..</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This
year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was
only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto
seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, well liked, and he was an
imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the
school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">One
day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk
with him.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"How
many push-ups can you do?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
said, "I do about 200 every night."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"200?
That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you
could do 300?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Do
you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Well,
I can try," said Steve.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Can
you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you
to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do
it? I need you to tell me if you can do it," said the professor.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me
explain what I have in mind."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Friday
came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.
When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts.. No,
these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG
kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty
excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going
to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's
class.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked,
"Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?" </span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Cynthia
said, "Yes."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten
push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Sure."
Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat
in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you
want a donut?" </span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Joe
said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups
so Joe can have a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first
aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their
donut.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Walking
down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the
basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular
and never lacking for female companionship.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">When
the professor asked, "Scott, do you want a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Scott's
reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Then
Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would
you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">With
perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Scott
said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson said, "Look! this is my classroom, my desks, and these are
my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put
a donut on Scott's desk.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Now
by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on
the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up
and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out
around his brow.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were
beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny,
do you want a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Sternly,
Jenny said, "No."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Then
Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so
Jenny can have a donut she doesn't want?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
did ten....Jenny got a donut.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">By
now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were
beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the
desks.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these
push-ups done for each donut. </span></font></b></strong><br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">There
began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his
arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort
involved.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the
class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten
push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work
for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was
so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however,
some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the
steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When
the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now
there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would
be able to make it.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near
the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was
taking a lot more time to complete each set.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You
are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr.
Christianson went on.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">A few
moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and
was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO!
Don't come in! Stay out!"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Jason
didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No,
let him come."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Professor
Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to
do ten push-ups for him?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the
way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Jason,
new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give
me a donut."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Steve,
will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Steve
did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered,
was handed a donut and sat down.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those
visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each
push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity.
By this time, sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was
no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the
room.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">The
very last two students in the room were two young women, both
cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the
second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Linda
said, very sadly, "No, thank you."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Professor
Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that
Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Grunting
from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Then
Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a
donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Susan,
with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why
can't I help him?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it
alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that
everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not.
When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my
grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade.
Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior
work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up
he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my
party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a
deal for your sakes."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Steve,
would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">As
Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding
that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350
push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Dr.
Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our
Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, pleaded to the Father, 'into thy
hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done
everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like
some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk,
uneaten."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Two
students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically
exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Well
done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all
sermons are preached in words."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Turning
to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand
and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been
given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for
the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept
His gift to us, the price has been paid."</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Wouldn't
you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"</span></font></b></strong><br>
<br>
<strong><b><font face="Tahoma"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Share
this with someone. It's bound to touch their heart and demonstrate
Salvation in a very special way.</span></font></b></strong></span></font></b>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Gun-toting Americans are clearly more self-sufficient than the sissy
Europeans. This is great news for everyone except Barney Frank, who's
always secretly wondered what it would be like to be taken by a Somali
pirate.
--Ann Coulter</pre>
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