We walked into the kitchen and he sat as I poured him a cup of his favorite brew.I felt an overwhelming sense of joy at seeing Gideon again. It was he, who had stood beside me,comforted me, taught me and helped me during my years of tribulation. I had never forgotten our times together, but I always wondered what had become of him and Marla. Where were they when my wife died?”

“I can already hear the thousands of questions you’ve got lined up in your mind, John,” he said as I handed him his coffee and sat down.

“Where have you been all this time, Gideon?” I asked.

“Fulfilling my assignment, John,” was his answer.

“Your assignment? What assignment? Selling encyclopedias?”

“The sale of encyclopedias was the method I used to make contact with you again,” he said. “But it was more than that. We were also checking to see how your understanding had grown. Even with your busy schedule, would you turn down a poor salesman,without giving him a chance? Had you learned patience and compassion? Would you give me or any other fellow human being a few minutes of your time or would you be so self-centered that you wouldn’t be bothered? We needed to have some of these questions answered.” “You mean you were testing me? That wasn’t necessary. I’ve been through quite enough tests in the last few years, Gideon.”

“Quite so,John,” he replied.“But tests don’t care. They just turn up and say,‘Look! I’m a test. You may do with me whatever you like. You may ignore me if you want to or deal with me as you see fit. I’m just another one of your tests.’That’s what tests say. You yourself have designed them for your own private purposes,to measure your current progress against your potential. Actually,they are meant to bring out the very best in you, but of course,that doesn’t always happen.”

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