[You know] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him (Acts 10:38 TNIV).

Not too long ago, I read a book by Mark Sanborn entitled, "The Fred Factor." The book is about a mailman who took his job seriously, and consistently went above and beyond the call of duty in performing it. While the book is not a "religious" book, the spiritual and biblical applications are everywhere.

Consequently, I have been teaching a Wednesday night adult class on the biblical principles contained in the "Fred Factor," and I have been challenging people to go out and be a "Fred." It has been interesting to see how much excitement this class has generated. People have taken up the challenge of being a "Fred" (translated — a disciple of Jesus) and going the second mile with people. I would heartily recommend the book to you. It is an easy read, being only 112 pages long.

Only after she was gone did I think ...

Well, allow me to share a close encounter I had with being a "Fred" this past week. My son, Michael, and I went to the courthouse so that he could get his driving permit. As we stood in line, there was a 16 year-old girl in front of us who was bubbling over with excitement because she, too, had passed her driving permit. As she stood at the window, one of the clerks asked her if she had her birth certificate. She excitedly said, "Yes Ma'am! I sure do!" Then the clerk asked her if she had her Social Security card. Again, with exuberance, she said, "Yes Ma'am! I sure do!" Then the clerk said, "That will be $12.00." Suddenly, the girl's disposition changed. "$12.00? I don't think I have $12.00. I didn't know I had to pay anything." Well, she began digging through her wallet and could not come up with $12.00. Finally she asked, "Can I just run home real quick? I just live a few blocks away and I'll bring you the money."

Well, can you guess what I did at that point? If you're thinking I gave her the $12.00 that she needed, keeping her from running home, while also making a huge impact on her life by having an absolute stranger help her out, you would be wrong! Nope, I just stood there and watched her run out of the room and off toward home. Only after she was gone did I think, "What an opportunity to make a difference! And I missed it!" I could have kicked myself. Instead of being a "Fred," I was a "Claude." In fact, with a little reflection, I think I could probably write a book entitled, "The Claude Factor."

So I'll live and learn, and hopefully be more sensitive to the opportunities I have to make a difference in the lives of other people. Not because that's what "Fred" would do, but because that's what Jesus would do.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).

The Marriage Builder by Larry Crabb An all-new discussion guide has been added to this marriage-enrichment classic.

Steve Higginbotham is a native of West Virginia. His father also preached. Steve serves the South Green Street congregation in Glasgow, Kentucky. Steve & Kim have four children, Kelli, Michael, Matthew, and Anne Marie.

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