This story is told from many years past by Dr. John Maxwell, but the message is so poignant and says so much it will always be a timeless story.
Shortly after the end of World War II, Europe was in ruins. Perhaps the saddest sight was the little orphaned children, starving in the war-torn streets. Early one chilly morning in London, an American soldier was making his way back to the barracks. Turning the corner in a Jeep, he spotted a little boy of six or seven, standing with his nose pressed to the window of a pastry shop. The hungry boy stared in silence as the baker kneaded dough for a fresh batch of doughnuts. The soldier pulled his Jeep over, got out and walked quietly to where the little fellow was standing. Through the steamy window he gazed at the mouth-watering treats. The soldier's heart went out to the child, so he asked, "Son, would you like some of those?" Startled, the little boy peered up at the tall American and cried, "Oh, yes, Sir, I would!" Quietly the soldier stepped inside, bought a dozen doughnuts and exited into the London fog. Turning to the child he smiled, held out the bag and said simply, "Here you are." As he turned to walk away he felt a tug on his coat. He stopped and smiled back at the boy only to hear him quietly ask, "Mister, are you God?"
Obviously, the soldier was not God but he was a genuine unsung hero. He was an encourager who demonstrated to the child that there were kind and compassionate people in the world. I have an idea that the child never forgot that unknown soldier who had helped to fill an empty life. Think about it. Do a simple deed; be an unsung hero, and if you do it regularly, I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
Zig Ziglar is known as America’s Motivator. He authored 36 books and produced numerous life-changing programs. He will be remembered as a man who lived out his faith daily.