God delivered some perspective tonight. After working late, I wanted to take a walk through a store to wind down so I go to my favorite store - Target. I walk around pick up a couple things and go to the register. After checking out I leave the store and a woman stops me and says 'Can I ask you a question?'. I say sure and let her tell her story. She lives in the area but has lost her job and home, so she's living at a motel and is 3 days behind. She has a part-time job, but needs $120 to catchup. A guy drives up, rolls down his window and she barely starts her story when he hands her some cash. She turns back to me not knowing what to say. I tell her that I'm sorry, but I don't have any cash. I asked her if I could pray for her and she says yes (I never do this!), so we pray and then she asks if we could pray for her sister...we continue praying and after we're finished we said goodbye and I start walking to my car.
I have a general rule that if I am asked for money and have cash, then it is supposed to be given away. But I didn't have cash and I was really - I hate to use a churchy word - burdened about her situation. As I'm walking to my car, I look down at the totally unneccesary stuff in my hand and think - "What if she doesn't have food? Should I offer to buy her some?". Then it hits me - i can go back in and get cash.
Obviously, I helped her out, but that's not my point and I don't tell this to toot my own horn. If I had had cash on me, I probably wouldn't have prayed for her. Which did more good? She said she felt so 'thought of' that 'God was really looking out for her' and 'it's amazing what can happen when we're yielded [to Him]'.
As I drove home in my nice car to my nice apartment full of tons of stuff, I realized how much God has really blessed me that I could help her. I won't even really miss it. But I won't soon forget that God is mindful of us. I am so blessed - work doesn't matter so much as the God who provides it for us. He has already taken care of the things that worry me. He is Great and Good.
"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Matthew 6:30-33
3 comments:
good post!
Good verse to remember, thanks.
~R
I agree. It is always good to have reminders like that. Love you!
Wow, that is awesome, Chrystal! Thank you for sharing your perspective, and in turn, giving me some as well.
In the area we live, with the affluence and nice homes and apartments and stores and offices, it's really easy to forget that there are people around us struggling... we just don't notice it.
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