A Glass of Milk
One day, a poor boy selling goods door to door to pay his way through school found himself with only one thin dime left. Hungry and desperate, he decided to ask for a meal at the next house.
However, when a lovely young woman opened the door, he lost his nerve and instead asked for a drink of water. Noticing his hunger, she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, savoring each sip, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”
He responded, “Then I thank you from my heart.”
As Howard Kelly left that house, he felt not only physically stronger but also reinvigorated in his faith in God and humanity. He had been ready to give up, but this simple act of kindness restored his spirit.
Years later, that same young woman became critically ill, baffling the local doctors. They sent her to a big city hospital, where specialists were called to study her rare disease. One of those specialists was Dr. Howard Kelly.
When Dr. Kelly heard the name of her hometown, a strange light filled his eyes. He immediately went to her room, recognizing her at once. Determined to save her life, he gave her case special attention.
After a long and difficult struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, wrote something on the edge, and sent it to her room. She feared opening it, certain that the cost would take a lifetime to repay.
Finally, she looked and noticed something written on the side of the bill:
“Paid in full with one glass of milk.
(Signed)
Dr. Howard A. Kelly.”
Tears of joy filled her eyes as she prayed with a happy heart: “Thank You, God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands.”