I gave a homeless family a Starbucks gift card today. I’m not saying this to be proud. I’m actually a little appalled that’s all I had to give them. Well, that or my Barnes and Noble gift card, but I figured that would help them even less. And I really believe that they were homeless. They were an older couple with a dog. When the gentleman came to my car window I could see that he hadn’t showered for days and only had two teeth in his mouth. I was filled with such regret that all I had to offer was a Starbucks gift card. Not that that wasn’t a sacrifice for me. I adore Starbucks, which is why my dear mother-in-law sent me the gift card for my birthday. And I was, in fact, on my way to use it when I saw the couple.
But really, it wasn’t a sacrifice in the real sense of the word. Philip would spend his last penny on Starbucks for me. I know this because I know he adores me. And I’m not saying that to be proud either, I have no idea why he does, but I know he does, as I adore him. So it’s only any kind of a sacrifice if I actually give up Starbucks all together for awhile, right?
I meet so many good people, so many nice people, who would never give anything to anyone standing on the side of the street. They always have their reasons, and they’re good reasons. “We don’t know if they’re really homeless”, “They’ll probably just use it on drugs or alcohol”, etc. The thing is, this might be true, but I remember reading somewhere a quote that said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” Having fought great and little battles myself, I know how a true gesture of kindness made all of the difference to me. Also, we are told that we are entertaining angels unaware. What if, by some chance, I have an opportunity to do a kindness to an angel, some minuscule chance to show some token of my gratitude, small as it is, to a heavenly being? Well that is too great of a chance to pass up!
Philip, who thinks of me above everyone else except for the Lord, will tell me the gift card was meant for me to use on me, because he loves me and wants me to have everything I want. I understand this completely, as I’m trying to figure out what worldly possession I could possibly sell to buy him a Kindle, because Philip is the most important person to me, I know he wants one, I know he won’t spend the money on himself, since he won’t spend the money to buy himself new socks, but instead spends it on me or the kids. (I digressed. Sorry.) But I did use the gift card for me. I’m certain I can say it was way more of a blessing to be able to give it to someone in need, truly in need, and not just desperate for an eggnog chai tea latte with whip cream because she has two sick children at home.
I would love to hear your response to giving to people who are standing on the side of the road, or giving to charity at all. Does anyone thing I just wasted a 25 dollar gift card?
I give as and when I can. The giving isn’t about what the other person will do with it. God asks me to give to those less fortunate than myself, he doesn’t ask me to judge them first and if they meet my pitiful human criteria then I should give. Nope, he just asks me to give. So I do. Sometimes it’s a lot, sometimes it’s a little…I don’t do it to feel good (although I nearly always do) or to look good, I do it cause God asks me to.
No kindness is ever wasted as our Heavenly Father sees all….