A businessman was in a great deal of trouble. His
business was failing, he had put everything he had into the
business, he owed everybody-- it was so bad he was even
contemplating suicide. As a last resort he went to a pastor
and poured out his story of tears and woe.

When he had finished, the pastor said, "Here's what I want
you to do: Put a beach chair and your Bible in your car and
drive down to the beach. Take the beach chair and the Bible
to the water's edge, sit down in the beach chair, and put
the Bible in your lap. Open the Bible; the wind will rifle
the pages, but finally the open Bible will come to rest on a
page. Look down at the page and read the first thing you
see. That will be your answer, that will tell you what to do."

A year later the businessman went back to the pastor and
brought his wife and children with him. The man was in a new
custom-tailored suit, his wife in a mink coat, the children
shining. The businessman pulled an envelope stuffed with
money out of his pocket, gave it to the pastor as a donation
in thanks for his advice.

The pastor recognized the benefactor, and was curious. "You
did as I suggested?" he asked.

"Absolutely," replied the businessman.

"You went to the beach?"

"Absolutely."

"You sat in a beach chair with the Bible in your lap?"

"Absolutely."

"You let the pages rifle until they stopped?"

"Absolutely."

"And what were the first words you saw?"

"Chapter 11."