POCKET CHANGE

You know the routine. Drive up to the stop light and try to avoid the eyes of the homeless man on the corner with the cardboard sign that says, "God bless you."

Sigh.

The guilt sets in. Sometimes the indignity. The self-righteousness. The annoyance.

Sometimes the pity. Sometimes the compassion. Sometimes the generosity.

And sometimes the window rolls down and pocket change drops from your hand into that of the man with the cardboard sign.

You wonder if the change will end up as food or…

But you shrug your shoulders because—in the end—it doesn’t matter from an eternal perspective what the money is used for.

Certainly the money means something to the receiver. But my giving to the man with the cardboard sign isn’t about him as much as it is about me. From my perspective as a giver—and from God’s perspective on eternity—my gift reflects my heart for others. It’s about God moving me toward not just being a giver. But a cheerful giver.

It’s about God moving me from a giver of pocket change to a giver of paper money or time or prayer or love or a cup of water to one who is thirsty—in Jesus’ name. And with Jesus’ frame of mind, Jesus’ heart for others and Jesus’ leading.
　

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2)

That man with the cardboard sign? Could be an angel. Read his sign again. He’s sending you God’s blessing, after all.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your provision and the way you are changing our heart. Please help us see people in need from your eyes and with your heart. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? How do you respond to folks in need of change?


This post is part of the Christian Writers blog chain. Our theme for September is "change." Please follow the links to the right to see what my friends have to say this month.

OPEN HOUSE

Yesterday, Jason and Ervin came to live with us. Only for six weeks, but for those six weeks, we have two new sons and they have a new home base. They will be mentoring fatherless middle school boys as part of a summer program with Shoulder to Shoulder in Sacramento. 

Two years ago we had two different young men stay with us as they worked with Shoulder to Shoulder. I’m not sure how blessed they were; but we were definitely blessed by their presence in our home.

We look forward to being similarly blessed by Jason and Ervin.

Of course, when the call came requesting our spare bedroom—as usual—my initial reaction was to wonder “how will this personally put me out?”

<sigh> Obviously God’s still got a lot of work to do in me.

In fact, my first thought was, “I won’t be able to lounge around in my PJs in the evening for six whole weeks.”

Are you laughing? After I stopped laughing at myself, too, I realized that such a “hardship” wouldn’t really be so hard after all.

It was at that point, amid the chuckling, that I heard the voice on the Bible CD playing in my head—of the Apostle Paul writing Hebrews 13:2.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

I’ll have to let you know if Jason and Ervin turn out to be angels. One thing I am sure of: they will be the hands of feet of Jesus to the fatherless boys they will be mentoring. That’s about as close to being an angel as us mortals can get.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help us be attuned more closely to the Holy Spirit so that our first reaction to a need is graciousness. Please continue to work on us so that we become closer to your example, Jesus. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Have you had a time in your life that called for graciousness and discovered that it was actually your first response? Or, like me, does graciousness take a little more effort?