To begin I would like to tell a story. I first heard this story many years ago when in college. The story was told by Steven Covey and this version is the best I remember it.

There is an old man walking along a desolate beach. It is early in the morning, there is a heavy mist in the air, and the tide is going out. As the old man walks he notices what appears to be a young man dancing. When the old man draws nearer he can see that the young man is not dancing, rather he seems to be picking something up from the beach and carrying it to the ocean and throwing it in. The old man approaches the young man and ask; "Young man, what are you doing?" The young man replies; "I am picking up starfish from the beach, and throwing them into the ocean." The old man then ask; "Why on earth are your doing that? There are millions and millions of starfish on every beach in the world. The few you pick up and throw into the ocean here can not possibly make a difference!" With that the young man becomes saddened, but he notices one more starfish in the sand of the beach. He reaches down, picks it up, carries it to the water and throws it into the ocean. The young man then returns to the old man and says; "I made a difference to that one!"

With that story in mind I will share with you another story. This one is TRUE!

A friend of mine recently found a person who was in great need. The person in need was a total stranger. My friend met with this person and gave them a Bible, a book, and $500 in cash. He told the person that the gift was through him but not from him. He told them that it was a gift, directed from God, and that they should thank God alone for the gift. My friends belief was that he had assisted God in rescuing a starfish.