James L. Kraft and the Pony Named Paddy

W.A. Criswell explained that when he was preaching at North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago, James L. Kraft was the church's Sunday School superintendent and one of its deacons. Kraft was also the founder of the Kraft Food Corporation. After the service, Criswell was invited to the Kraft home, where he visited with Kraft and his wife. Kraft told him about his early days as a young businessman.

He had a pony named Paddy, a little buggy, and a dream in his heart: He wanted to become the greatest cheese seller in the world. He would make cheese, load it into his little buggy, hitch up Paddy, and drive through the streets of Chicago selling his cheese. But things weren't going well. As time passed, he became discouraged. He wasn't making money, and his dream of becoming a successful businessman seemed to be slipping away. One day, as he was driving through Chicago, he stopped his pony and began talking to him.

"Woe, Paddy!" Kraft said that suddenly he experienced a great conviction in his heart.
He realized that he had been trying to succeed entirely for himself. He wanted to become famous, rich, and successful, but he had left God out of his life. "What I'm doing is, I'm trying to succeed just for my sake, trying to do this just to be famous, and rich, and successful. I've left something out of my life, and it's God. It's God."

Then Kraft began talking to his pony: "Paddy, I'm not doing right, I haven't got this thing right. Paddy, we've got to turn around, and we've got to do it right! We've got to serve God, we must serve God." He continued: "Then if God wants us to succeed, glory to His name, and if God wants me to be a great manufacturer of cheese, glory to His name. But we must serve God, Paddy. We've made a great mistake." Kraft said he went home and surrendered himself, along with every vision and dream he had, to God. Criswell relates that Kraft told him…"From that day thereafter, the Lord has blessed me and been with me."

Criswell later heard Kraft speak to a large gathering in Washington, D.C. He was amazed by what Kraft said: "I had rather be a layman in the North Shore Baptist Church in Chicago than to be head of the greatest corporation in America." Then Kraft paused and added, "My first job is serving Jesus."

Not only was serving Jesus James Kraft’s first job, it is also ours and the Churches as well! And that is why our Reach the World offering is so significant. It is another way we serve Jesus and the purposes of God by aiding in get the life-changing gospel to the world. I trust, if you haven’t given yet, you are praying about an extra gift that the Lord would have you give above and beyond your tithes and offerings. Our goal is $200,000 and it will bless some specific mission partners, including some from our own congregation in their work of ministry. All through the month and until the end of the year we will receive this offering. Will you pray and help us do our part in Reaching the World!

And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,

Pastor Ray

Image credit: Unsplash