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When Mike asked an elder how he was able to finish well, and even at his ripe age be so effective for the Kingdom, the wise elder reached into his breast pocket and pulled out two of his pens, holding them out on the table.

"Who's strength and glory is holding up these pens?"

"Yours" said Mike.

Immediately, the elder let one of the pens drop on the table. Then the elder said, listen to the pen that stands.

Cautiously, Mike put his ear near the standing pen, not knowing that the elder could throw his voice.

"Just look at you." Said the standing pen to the fallen pen, "Can't you do anything right? I just can't believe that you would sink so low, and behave so poorly! Don't you even understand the Bible, and how to live right?"

Then the elder looked at Mike and said, "I am sick of holding this loud one." .. and he let the standing pen fall down on the table next to the other. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out another pen ...

"Who's glory makes this pen stand?"

"Still, yours" said Mike.

"What is wrong with you two?" Said the standing pen to the two fallen pens, "You sicken me, with such a terrible demonstration of what you could be, if you only believed as I do, and did what I do, and say what I know you should say ..."

Then the elder let this one drop as well. Again and again, the elder did this until he was out of pens and five fallen pens lay on the table.

Mike got the point.

Want to finish well?
Don't come down hard on those that have fallen by forgeting why you stand and they do not. To God be all the glory! Lets be thankful that by His Spirit we are not taken prisioner by error, if we are not.

On the lighter side, Mike says that he wishes that he never told his wife that story. Countless times at the dinner table his wife has been known to pick up a fork or spoon and begin ... "I just can't believe what you did ...."

Thus, Mike is ever reminded who holds him, and makes him stand.

We want to finish well, and by God's grace we will, with the understanding that without God's grace, we would be hopeless and helpless.

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