God’s goodness can be found in life’s simple, often overlooked things

God comes to us in the simple things of life. Often, we look for God in the spectacular and dramatic aspects of life. The following are two stories that illustrate that point.

In the first, the man whispered, “God, speak to me” and a meadowlark sang. Yet the man did not hear. So the man yelled, “God, speak to me” and the thunder rolled across the sky but the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, “God let me see you.” A star shined brightly but the man did not see.

The man shouted, “God, show me a miracle.” A life was born but the man did not notice. So, the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God, and let me know you are here.” God touched the man but the man brushed the butterfly away.

God is present in the little, simple things that we sometimes take for granted.

The second story focuses on young Tess, who went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. After placing the coins back in the jar, she slipped out the back door and made her way to the local drugstore.

Tess waited patiently for the pharmacist to pay attention to her, but he was busy talking. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. It didn’t do any good. Finally, she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. It worked!

“And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages.”

“I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.”

“I beg your pardon?” the pharmacist said.

“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head. My daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?”

“We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I cannot help you,” the pharmacist responded.

“I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs?”

The pharmacist’s well-dressed brother stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the gentleman.

“One dollar and 11 cents,” Tess answered. “It’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.”

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “That’s the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.”

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the miracle you need.”

The well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neurosurgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it was not long before young Andrew was home again and doing well.

“That surgery,” Tess’s mother whispered, “was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?”

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost: $1.11 plus the faith of a little child.

God works in mysterious ways.