My son and A Lesson After God's Own Heart
MissSharon2013
Posts: 536 Member
I have always taught my kids that there are blessings in giving; and even more so when you really don't have it to give, but you do it out of the kindness if your heart. One hopes that their children takes what you say to heart. But leading by example is the best way. So, sometimes when my kids were small, we would be walking somewhere and someone would ask me for money. At that time, I really didn't have a lot myself; but I'd give a dollar or two. My kids would say, "Mom, how do you know they're going to do what they said with it? Maybe that man will buy himself something to drink." They grew up in the city: had seen alcoholics, etc. I told them, "That's not why you give. You give because it's in your heart to give. See, what THEY do with it is between them and God. God will bless YOU for giving." They would observe these times when I gave, and I never really knew if it would stick with them or not.
Well, my husband and I were going through some rough times in our relationship (this would be my first husband; who has since passed away); and I came to Alabama where my parents live to try and regroup; figure out where I was going. My daughter had by now married and moved out. My son was 16 and didn't want to leave his hometown to live in Alabama and I really couldn't blame him. But after awhile, he did decide he wanted to come and stay with me in Alabama after all. I didn't have any way of coming after him; so his dad put him on a bus from Kalamazoo, MI with $20 for food. Bus depots are very expensive, and I had no idea how little money he had with him. At the first depot, kids being kids, he bought himself a few snacks; and had about $10 left to get him through until he would get to Alabama.
By the time he reached Indianapolis, my son was exhausted and confused about which bus he was supposed to get on and he missed his connecting bus. This meant he would now have to spend the night in the bus depot as the next connecting bus would not leave until 9 am the following morning! He would soon be hungry again; he realized, having eaten a bit earlier and was now down to $8. A man approached my son while he was sitting on a bench, weary and thinking how on earth was he going to get through for food because he would have another ten to twelve additional hours than he had planned on the bus. The man looked pale and hungry as he approached my son and said, "I was wondering if you might be able to help me out. I am so hungry, and I got some money coming in here by Western Union in a little bit. Man, if you could help me out; I would really appreciate it and as soon as my money gets here; I'll give it back." My son, without any thought of how he would eat if the man were lying, said, without hesitation, "Sure."
He purchased a very grateful man a hotdog and a drink. He didn't tell the man he had very little money himself. The man ate hungrily, told my son, "Thank you! Thank you so much! As soon as my money comes in; I'll give it back to you." My son smiled, happy to have helped and said, "it's ok. You were hungry." My son sat back on the bench and began to wait out what he thought would now be a long, hungry night. In a few minutes, a woman wandered over to my son and said, "Young man? Are you gong to be here awhile?" He smiled and said, "Yes ma'am." She said, "I could really use someone to watch my luggage. I want to go across the street for awhile, but I don't want to leave it anywhere or take it with me. Would you mind?" He smiled and said, "Sure. I'll watch it for you." She said thank you, parked her luggage around my son and went out the door of the depot.
In about an hour, the man that my son had bought the hotdog and drink for returned, "Listen, I just collected my money! You just don't know! I was starving ... Here's your money and a little extra." My son said, "Oh no, it's ok, you don't have to pay me back. You were hungry." My son was holding onto the principal of giving for the sake of giving. He sincerely wanted to have fed someone who was hungry without any kind of repayment! The man insisted, "No! You take this! I was starving! You didn't have to help me, but you did!" So my son took the money and thanked a very puzzled man who probably couldn't figure out what was going through this young man's mind!
In about another hour, the woman whose luggage my son was watching returned, "Thank you so much, young man! This is for you!" She handed him $20! He said, "You don't have to pay me. I was going to be here anyway."
She pushed the $20 into his hand and said, "Nonsense! You take this now! You did me a huge favor." My son thanked her and marveled how God was working things out so that he would have enough to eat on!
As he sat there, he heard the woman, "You see that nice young man over there? You give him a little money; and he will watch your luggage!" Pretty soon, my son had luggage nestled around his legs and spread out in every direction. By the time he was ready to leave the next morning, he had $60!
God repaid my son's kindness because He could see the sincere desire to help others in my son's heart; even if it cost him dearly. God knew that even if a cent had not come his way; my son would never have complained in his heart. He would have gotten on the bus the next morning without anything to eat and no money for the long trip ahead...but a gladness in his heart that he sincerely helped someone. And I was so grateful that God had taught him that when you give from the heart; God gives from Heaven. And you can never go wrong with that!
Well, my husband and I were going through some rough times in our relationship (this would be my first husband; who has since passed away); and I came to Alabama where my parents live to try and regroup; figure out where I was going. My daughter had by now married and moved out. My son was 16 and didn't want to leave his hometown to live in Alabama and I really couldn't blame him. But after awhile, he did decide he wanted to come and stay with me in Alabama after all. I didn't have any way of coming after him; so his dad put him on a bus from Kalamazoo, MI with $20 for food. Bus depots are very expensive, and I had no idea how little money he had with him. At the first depot, kids being kids, he bought himself a few snacks; and had about $10 left to get him through until he would get to Alabama.
By the time he reached Indianapolis, my son was exhausted and confused about which bus he was supposed to get on and he missed his connecting bus. This meant he would now have to spend the night in the bus depot as the next connecting bus would not leave until 9 am the following morning! He would soon be hungry again; he realized, having eaten a bit earlier and was now down to $8. A man approached my son while he was sitting on a bench, weary and thinking how on earth was he going to get through for food because he would have another ten to twelve additional hours than he had planned on the bus. The man looked pale and hungry as he approached my son and said, "I was wondering if you might be able to help me out. I am so hungry, and I got some money coming in here by Western Union in a little bit. Man, if you could help me out; I would really appreciate it and as soon as my money gets here; I'll give it back." My son, without any thought of how he would eat if the man were lying, said, without hesitation, "Sure."
He purchased a very grateful man a hotdog and a drink. He didn't tell the man he had very little money himself. The man ate hungrily, told my son, "Thank you! Thank you so much! As soon as my money comes in; I'll give it back to you." My son smiled, happy to have helped and said, "it's ok. You were hungry." My son sat back on the bench and began to wait out what he thought would now be a long, hungry night. In a few minutes, a woman wandered over to my son and said, "Young man? Are you gong to be here awhile?" He smiled and said, "Yes ma'am." She said, "I could really use someone to watch my luggage. I want to go across the street for awhile, but I don't want to leave it anywhere or take it with me. Would you mind?" He smiled and said, "Sure. I'll watch it for you." She said thank you, parked her luggage around my son and went out the door of the depot.
In about an hour, the man that my son had bought the hotdog and drink for returned, "Listen, I just collected my money! You just don't know! I was starving ... Here's your money and a little extra." My son said, "Oh no, it's ok, you don't have to pay me back. You were hungry." My son was holding onto the principal of giving for the sake of giving. He sincerely wanted to have fed someone who was hungry without any kind of repayment! The man insisted, "No! You take this! I was starving! You didn't have to help me, but you did!" So my son took the money and thanked a very puzzled man who probably couldn't figure out what was going through this young man's mind!
In about another hour, the woman whose luggage my son was watching returned, "Thank you so much, young man! This is for you!" She handed him $20! He said, "You don't have to pay me. I was going to be here anyway."
She pushed the $20 into his hand and said, "Nonsense! You take this now! You did me a huge favor." My son thanked her and marveled how God was working things out so that he would have enough to eat on!
As he sat there, he heard the woman, "You see that nice young man over there? You give him a little money; and he will watch your luggage!" Pretty soon, my son had luggage nestled around his legs and spread out in every direction. By the time he was ready to leave the next morning, he had $60!
God repaid my son's kindness because He could see the sincere desire to help others in my son's heart; even if it cost him dearly. God knew that even if a cent had not come his way; my son would never have complained in his heart. He would have gotten on the bus the next morning without anything to eat and no money for the long trip ahead...but a gladness in his heart that he sincerely helped someone. And I was so grateful that God had taught him that when you give from the heart; God gives from Heaven. And you can never go wrong with that!
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:'-) You know you raised your kids right when they do the right thinks when your not around!! I wish more parents were like that! I teach my kids right, I can only hope they are doing the right thing when I'm not around! Thanks you for sharing, it brought a tear to me eye!!!0
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Thanks Gwen for taking the time to read it. You're right! We can only pray they understand what we try to teach them when were not around!0
