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The Lord who has blessed us with such great blessings commands us to freely
give to others what God has freely given to us. We should never think it
negative to be helping towards someone who is in need, but rather we are to
see it as a great opportunity to brighten up someone else's day and show
them the love of God that is within our hearts. As children of the Most
High God we are to shine our light as a beacon of hope letting others know
that good days are ahead of them even while they are going through their
hardship. When we stand before God Almighty to give an account of our
life, what a joy it will be when the Lord recounts our good works in His
Name. Think of this the next time an opportunity presents itself for you
to show the love and compassion of Christ towards someone else in need.
I hope this message ministers to your heart to do all you can to be a
blessing towards someone else in need. The blessing that you bestow upon
others will be returned to you one hundred fold. (Matthew 10:8) (Mark 10:30)
WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE
I could have gone to a couple of gatherings at the homes of friends and
family on Boxing Day. I could have stayed home and curled up with a good
book all day. The last thing I intended to do with a perfectly good stretch
of peace and quiet, was join the throng of post-Christmas shoppers. Yet,
when my husband called and asked me to meet him at the mall, I went.
Long lines of loud shoppers stood outside most of the stores. Everyone was
noisy and animated. They couldn't get into those stores fast enough to
spend their money. We were surprised by the number of young people in the
mall. They outnumbered the adults 2 to 1 - easy.
After my husband found what he was looking for, we grabbed a quick bite to
eat in the Food Court. I felt a little restless and decided to stay behind
and do some research at the book store. I grabbed a pile of reference
books, found myself an empty chair, and started making notes. Four hours
slipped away from me.
Still feeling restless, I decided to use the gift certificate from the
bookstore my daughter had given me for Christmas. I found a beautiful book
called 'The Quiet Little Woman' by Louisa May Alcott, and picked it up for
my granddaughter. Then I found 'A Memory of Christmas Tea' by Tom Hegg, and
picked that one up for myself. Since both of the books were Christmas
books, they were 50% off. Perfect. My gift certificate would cover the cost
of both of them.
My research was done, my shopping was finished and I was getting tired. I
couldn't shake the odd, aimless feeling in my gut, but I'd run out of
excuses to stay in the store. Finally, I left.
Since my truck had been sitting out in the cold all afternoon, I let it
warm up for a few minutes before I put it into gear. While I was sitting
there, I noticed a young boy in the next aisle of the parking lot. He kept
ducking down. I knew he wasn't trying to break into a car, he was in the
middle of the aisle-way. The truck was parked in the farthest spot from the
mall entrance, which gave me plenty of time to watch him make his way past
the cars and trucks.
It wasn't until he crossed over to the aisle I was parked in, that I
realized he was bending down and picking up change off the ground. He bent
down in front of my truck, and when he stood up, we made eye contact. I
took him to be around ten-years-old.
In that split second, the contrast between the frenzied kids on their
shopping sprees inside the mall, and the one lone kid picking up change off
the ground outside the mall, was terribly apparent. The youngster in front
of me was wearing one blue glove and one tan glove. His coat was about two
sizes too small. The zipper was held in place with a big safety pin. As he
walked away from me, I saw his shoes. They looked like they'd outlived
their usefulness a couple hundred miles ago.
I rolled down my window and called him over. He came, sort of. He left a
good distance between us, standing hesitantly - poised for flight. I could
tell by the fearful look on his face that he half expected me to yell and
chase him off. My heart hurt.
I asked him if he needed some money. His reply was instantaneous. “No, no.
That's okay.”
The parking lot was wet and slushy. I could tell his feet were cold by the
way he kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
“Please,” I insisted, holding out a five dollar bill. “It's not much, but
when money is shared, it seems to go a lot further.”
He took a step closer. “Would it be okay if I spend it at McDonald's?” he
asked, hiking his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the fast
food restaurant across the street.
“Sure you can,” I answered. “You can spend it wherever you like.”
He pulled off one of his gloves and reached for the money. His small hand
was red and chafed. That thinly knitted glove wasn't keeping his hand warm
at all.
“Would you mind taking these off my hands,” I asked, picking up the spare
pair of gloves my husband keeps in the truck. They were old, but they were
good warm gloves. “I bought my husband a new pair for Christmas, but as
long as he's got these ones, those new ones will sit on the shelf at home
and never get used. What do you say? Will you help me out?”
“Okay,” he answered. “I'll help you.”
He took the five-dollar bill, stuffed it inside his glove and put the glove
back on his hand. I passed him my husband's gloves and watched him put them
on. A big smile, the first one I'd seen, spread across his face. “Thanks!
These are great!”
“Glad you like them kiddo,” were the only words I could get past the lump
in my throat. The gloves were way too big for him...and he was so very
happy to have them. Most kids his age wouldn't be caught wearing them,
period, let alone in public.
He looked over his shoulder, towards McDonalds.
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
He looked down at the ground, “Yes.”
“Me too!” I said.
He started to pull the glove off. “Do you want your money back?” he asked,
with genuine concern in his voice.
“No, no. I just meant I better get home.”
“Oh. Okay.”
After another big 'thank you', he walked away. I watched him go. When he
got to the road, he turned and waved his small hand, encased in that great
big glove, at me. I waved back, put the truck in gear and drove away. I
didn't want him to see me cry.
The next time I feel restless and off kilter, unable to figure out why I'm
not doing what 'I' think I should be doing, I'm not going to analyze it and
wonder what is wrong with me. I know I'll end up exactly where I'm supposed
to be.
By Terri McPherson
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Romans 12:15-18 “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them
that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things,
but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of
all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with
all men.”
Colossians 3:23-25 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of
the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong
shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of
persons.”
Luke 6:35-36 Jesus declares “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye
shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful
and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.
Today’s Selected Poem: THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem82.htm
Today’s Selected Testimony: HE HAS A PURPOSE FOR US
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony153.htm
In Christ’s Service,
Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry |
