For the Love of God
The Works of Mark Edgemon from All-Creatures.org

Mark Edgemon has been writing for 30 years. He writes and publishes short stories, articles, poetry and scripts, as well as, produces audio comedy productions for over 700 radio stations nationwide.

Contact Mark through his website, Creator and the Catalyst.

For the Love of God

Margaret Shuman owned a ranch in west Montana that she converted into a center for her television ministry, where she planned to broadcast throughout the world her style of evangelism. Buildings were built by the 5 and 10-dollar donations, which came rolling in each time she made a tearful plea to her followers for money. It seems for her, God was always coming up with great new projects that would promote her ministry and increase her wealth. But as she would often say, God needs our help; we are His hands and feet. Personally, I have never believed that God needed anyone’s help.

She painted on inch thick makeup and recorded her sermons of what God really meant when He spoke. She had her own teaching system which was designed to be confusing to average folk…to intelligent folks too, so no one would be able to understand her teachings, unless they bought her study guides and other recorded merchandise.

One day, a poor woman came to her dressing room and asked to speak with her. Margaret was busy, but she wouldn’t want it to get out she did not empathize with the less fortunate, so she let her in.

“What can I do for you,” Margaret said impatiently, “Cause I have a lot to do to day and I’m running behind.”

“I heard your message the other day about helping those in need and how it would add to the giver spiritual wealth.”

“Yes,” the evangelist confirmed.

“Well,” the poor woman continued, “I’m about to make you spiritually rich. I’m three months behind on my mortgage and I have until tomorrow to come up with the payment or the mortgage company will foreclose and take my home.”

“Well you shouldn’t have gotten in over your head,” the evangelist said in a hurry. “Here’s my recorded message on spiritual finance. Take it and listen to it and then ask God to help you, but only after you have followed its precepts. Thank you and hope things work out,” she said as she shoved the poor woman out the door.

The woman hung around outside the evangelist’s door and so she called the cops to escort the woman away. After the cops picked her up, she told them her problem and why she went to see the evangelist in the first place. They were moved, first with compassion and then with indignation. They started to raise money getting the media in on it from the angle of community police helping their residents.

The word got out about the evangelist and soon her money began to dry up and eventually had to close her facility.

When you profess God falsely, you never know whose eyes are watching you.

Copyright © 2008 Mark Edgemon

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