God showed up!
I had already made up my mind that I was going to break my own rule and give the young couple holding the cardboard sign some money. I had some cash, which is inconsistent with what I usually have; an empty wallet. When I have money, though, there is usually a reason to have it and sometimes it involves sharing.
As we approached where the couple was, I started noticing some things I couldn't see from far off. There was an empty gas can in front of them and they were there with their two young children, one being breastfed by mom. To me, the child looked a little too big to be breastfed still, but the reality of the situation was that maybe that's all there was at the moment. The couple spoke some English and asked that God bless me for helping them.
He did.
I have this jar and the only thing that goes in it is money found on the ground. Lately, we've been finding a few more pennies. Yesterday, though, it was dimes. At the Smith's yesterday, we twelve cents. I also found twelve cents in the change pocket of my pants. It's the only time I've added my own money to the jar, but I figured I didn't know I had the change and it was matching funds. I needed some change for a twenty yesterday and we were out of coffee so I bought a can of coffee and found a dime on the way out. The money found on the ground isn't mine. It has a purpose and that purpose is to support whatever mission offering is coming up at church.
So what does this little rabbit trail have to do with the story? We stopped at a different Smith's on the way home and I saw this envelope laying on the ground. I looked at it to see if it had any money in it. It didn't but on my way into the store, I found a $20 bill on the ground.
It's in the jar and on Sunday the jar will be emptied again. I can't see holding onto money that needs to be put to work. Besides, I made a deal with God about this kind of money. Found money is His. Well, all of it is His, but money found on the ground goes toward missions offerings. I never put my name on the cash from this, either. I'm just the vehicle that picks it up and empties it out. Everyone in the house contributes to the jar, but it's only for found money. It's set aside as God's.
So how did finding $20 I can't use for me be a blessing to me? My friend was having a rough day and she asked Jesus to let us find something; to let her know that He was there today. Things aren't always smooth as I would like them to be around here and it's been a day. But a prayer prayed in earnest was answered. She needed to see Jesus.
Sometimes you get to be a blessing to others. Sometimes being that blessing requires a bit of a sacrifice. And sometimes you pray that God shows up in a little way and He shows up big. My friend was looking for a penny. What we found was two thousand of them.
And hope.
As we approached where the couple was, I started noticing some things I couldn't see from far off. There was an empty gas can in front of them and they were there with their two young children, one being breastfed by mom. To me, the child looked a little too big to be breastfed still, but the reality of the situation was that maybe that's all there was at the moment. The couple spoke some English and asked that God bless me for helping them.
He did.
I have this jar and the only thing that goes in it is money found on the ground. Lately, we've been finding a few more pennies. Yesterday, though, it was dimes. At the Smith's yesterday, we twelve cents. I also found twelve cents in the change pocket of my pants. It's the only time I've added my own money to the jar, but I figured I didn't know I had the change and it was matching funds. I needed some change for a twenty yesterday and we were out of coffee so I bought a can of coffee and found a dime on the way out. The money found on the ground isn't mine. It has a purpose and that purpose is to support whatever mission offering is coming up at church.
So what does this little rabbit trail have to do with the story? We stopped at a different Smith's on the way home and I saw this envelope laying on the ground. I looked at it to see if it had any money in it. It didn't but on my way into the store, I found a $20 bill on the ground.
It's in the jar and on Sunday the jar will be emptied again. I can't see holding onto money that needs to be put to work. Besides, I made a deal with God about this kind of money. Found money is His. Well, all of it is His, but money found on the ground goes toward missions offerings. I never put my name on the cash from this, either. I'm just the vehicle that picks it up and empties it out. Everyone in the house contributes to the jar, but it's only for found money. It's set aside as God's.
So how did finding $20 I can't use for me be a blessing to me? My friend was having a rough day and she asked Jesus to let us find something; to let her know that He was there today. Things aren't always smooth as I would like them to be around here and it's been a day. But a prayer prayed in earnest was answered. She needed to see Jesus.
Sometimes you get to be a blessing to others. Sometimes being that blessing requires a bit of a sacrifice. And sometimes you pray that God shows up in a little way and He shows up big. My friend was looking for a penny. What we found was two thousand of them.
And hope.
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