“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
My wife and I had stopped for a quick breakfast as we were returning home and did not know this decision would lead to a chance to bless and be blessed.
Birthday Girl
"It’s my birthday!" I heard the proclamation before I saw the face of the one uttering the statement. As I shifted my attention to the source of the words I saw a feisty and overly friendly employee of the small town fast food restaurant. The words were directed to her manager who was across the dining room but was heard by all.
My wife suggested we acknowledge her birthday with a blessing. I followed the birthday lady outside where she was picking up trash and said, “I heard a rumor about you.” A little concern flashed on her face as she asked what had I heard about her. I smiled at her and said, "I heard it’s your birthday." As a grin broke out on her face, she loudly proclaimed, "I’ll be 60 tomorrow!" I handed her three 20 dollar bills and said "here is a dollar for each year." After telling her that Jesus loves her and this was a gift in His name I returned to my wife who was waiting at the table for me.
The Reaction
As we prepared to resume our journey home the birthday girl ran to the table and with hugs and kisses and pushed us back into our seats. She was overcome by this stranger’s act of generosity, and with tears said, “I have heard of things like this happing but it has never happened to me before now."
Reminding her that the source of the blessing was from God, she begins to talk and in less than five minutes she told us her life story…
As a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer, she had a double mastectomy and discovered, when she was released from the hospital, that she had been abandoned by her boyfriend because of her disfigurement.
As she was attempting to take her life, she was rescued by the local police, and in her words, “They helped me get better.” Now the wife of a disabled veteran, she was recently widowed and struggling to make ends meet as she waits for survivor benefits from her husband’s disability.
Alone and struggling–not just emotionally but financial as well–she had to choose between paying her rent and paying for medical treatment and was facing eviction from her apartment. She, along with her employer, had worked out a payment plan with her landlord allowing her to remain in her home.
When I asked how much she was behind on her rent she gave me the amount and it was the exact amount of money I had in my wallet. A quick prayer for discernment was offered up to God and the money in my wallet was now in her hands. She was blessed by a stranger and the stranger was blessed by her.
What will your response be?
I recount the event to you, not to lift up myself as some great person, but to help you understand three things:
- If we are going to be a part of God’s plan in people’s lives, we must be prepared.
- If we are going to be blessed by God, we must be willing to bless others.
- If we are to know and understand life situations others are facing, we must be willing to engage the people that God places in front of us.
Seek to serve others and Jesus as you live your life and God will put the right people at the right time for you to be a blessing and blessed as you serve the Saviour.
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