(Editor’s Note: This
article about Will Bush was the cover story for the
July 2003 issue. Many readers told me that this story
touched their hearts. It is a joy to reprint this
inspiring article.)
One of the most common and perhaps the most recognized
item in the world today is the American dollar. They
pass through our hands every day. How quickly they
come and go, as we conduct our business, buying and
selling, taking care of our every need, yet we hardly
notice anything special about these basic instruments
of trade and commerce. But one young follower of
Christ saw much more than a dollar bill, and he had
greater ideas for his allowance than a soda or pack of
gum.
The story begins when Will Bush asked for his
twenty-dollar allowance in one-dollar bills. Although
confused by this strange request, his mother complied
and noticed Will checking the Federal Reserve
indicator on each bill. Some dollars bear the letter
"J" representing the 10th District, Federal
Reserve Bank in Kansas City, Missouri. However, in
Will's heart this J actually stood for Jesus, and he
dedicated every J-dollar that passed through his hands
to the service of God's kingdom. No matter how many
J-dollars he received, every single one was used in
the spirit of Jesus. He continually looked for
ordinary ways where they would make a difference in
someone's life.
The story becomes touching because, in the last few
years of his life, Will fought a valiant battle with
cancer. Yet his illness did not hinder his passion for
serving the Lord. During his numerous visits to
doctors' offices and hospitals, Will read newspapers
and listened to people talk in order to make his
decisions. When he found out the fee for a bone marrow
donor test was a hundred dollars, he gave his J-dollar
collection so that a potential donor could be tested.
For his fellow patients receiving chemotherapy, he
bought crackers and snacks to help minimize nausea. He
sent money to an African-American church that was
burned. He bought flowers for people in the nursing
home.
The story becomes even more poignant because Will
eventually lost his battle with cancer. In the days
and weeks following his funeral, numerous individuals,
some of whom were unknown to the family, recounted the
ways in which Will had touched their lives with his
simple mission. His mother admits they will probably
never know all the ways in which Will used his
J-dollars. It will likely remain between him and God,
and the story could easily end here.
But it doesn't, because Will shared his J-dollar
vision with his family and friends and requested that
they carry on his mission. And so they have! Just as
the Gospel of Jesus spread in those early days of the
Christian church, Will's J-dollar mission has spread
from Middle Georgia to Alabama and beyond. People are
carefully examining their dollar bills and selflessly
dedicating them to Jesus. So the next time we find
ourselves worried about rising inflation or the
decreasing value of the almighty dollar, perhaps we
should stop and carefully consider what Jesus would
have us do with the J-dollars that come our way. And
then perhaps …in a quiet, peaceful moment …we just
might hear our Savior say "Well done, good and
faithful servant."
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