Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
make my heart like unto Thine.
Jesus says to me: My heart overflowed with love for you when I saw your face from the cross. One glance of love toward another brings mercy upon you.
The heart of Jesus is transforming. He comes to us each day in different forms. His heart encounters us through every person we encounter each day. Each time His heart presents itself, it demands a response from us and so it goes.
One day on my way home, there were varied persons soliciting monies in the median (grassy) areas with signs telling the passersby what they needed. Frankly, this always bothered me but this one time in particular – a woman – whose cardboard sign stated she has three children and was homeless - presented in a way that was bothersome to me. I was not inclined to help her, but she was etched on my mind and heart. You see I had placed my judgment against those who solicited in the grassy median strip. I pretty much had made up my mind not to help them with cash.
One day on my way home, there were varied persons soliciting monies in the median (grassy) areas with signs telling the passersby what they needed. Frankly, this always bothered me but this one time in particular – a woman – whose cardboard sign stated she has three children and was homeless - presented in a way that was bothersome to me. I was not inclined to help her, but she was etched on my mind and heart. You see I had placed my judgment against those who solicited in the grassy median strip. I pretty much had made up my mind not to help them with cash.
Another day, as we were driving toward Connecticut Avenue, another group, another woman, another grassy place, I heard in my heart - give to her. It was a life changing moment. Frank was driving. I told him to stop that it was on my heart to give to her. My response to her was the heart of the matter, God speaking through hearts His way, not my way.
Because of that encounter, I realized that God is always generous and always merciful to me no matter how I am. He wanted first generosity from my heart, not from my pocketbook. He wanted me to respond by saying yes to Him out of love because He asked love of me. (It is how we love in a family. We serve each other because we love as husband, wife, mom, dad, or child, not always wanting to do for one another, but because we love each other, we chose to say yes.)
That yes to Jesus made it easy to say yes to the woman. That was a good heart day for me! I no longer have the burden of the cardboard signs; it is now a “choice” I make–with God’s love in my heart from that one giving moment the Lord lovingly gave me that day.
I could not wait to see the woman with the three children on my way home, but it would be another long time before I saw her again. When I did see her, she had a different sign. This sign said she had a heart condition, and she was obviously struggling that day. I don’t know her story, but my heart was filled with God’s compassion and generosity for her need. I don’t know what happens to the money when we give to others, but I prayed that God would allow her family to keep what we gave and to keep them all in His care.
Her story belongs to God. My story and journey continues.
Hi Elaine,
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful article. You are so generous to be open to sharing God's love with others!
I saw a fun project for children on the internet - to make 'blessing bags' for the homeless to keep in the car and give away when you encounter a needy person. The bags contain little essentials to provide comfort - chapstick, small snacks, mints, hand sanitizer, etc.
http://kwavs.blogspot.com/2011/05/blessing-bags-how-to.html