INSPIRASUNS

Several months ago I mentioned in this little blog that I was concerned about a woman and her two children outside a busy shopping center. The woman was standing very close to the exit, onto a busy street with one child in her arms and another in a stroller. She was holding a sign that said they needed help. I was hurrying like most, out of the store and trying to get home to make dinner before it got too late. I barely saw this woman as I was leaving, it wasn’t until I was halfway into the street that I noticed her.

I shared here how concerned I was when I was driving home. I kept thinking to myself, “she has put those children and herself in danger where she is standing”. If I didn’t see her, I know others didn’t. What was she thinking? Then the reality hit me, what was she thinking indeed. I, like many, drove past and didn’t stop, didn’t ask how we could help, and didn’t try to understand her story. I went from not only feeling concerned about their safety, to feeling bad that I didn’t try to understand if there was something I could do. There was much more to her story, was she indeed homeless, was her husband in trouble, was she in trouble, had she been forced to do this by someone else, all the scenarios ran through my head.

Since that day, I’ve seen others with signs asking for help here and there, including yesterday. I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few items and as I drove into the shopping complex, an older man was standing on the exit side. He had a prosthetic leg from the knee down, was holding a small sign, and was standing almost at attention as he held a crutch under his other arm. His sign simply said, “my family could use a little help”.

I found a parking space and headed in to pick up my items. As I made my way to the checkout, I picked up a gift card for the grocery store. The clerk checked me out and gave me a separate receipt for the gift card, which I folded neatly and tucked into the card. It had one of those creases where the holder wraps around and makes this little envelope for card, (sorry a little too much info there).

I headed out of the parking lot, (which is always crazy), and toward the man holding the sign. I was several cars back, and I noticed the car by him had stopped to give him something. When I got up next to him, I rolled down my window, he was just looking straight ahead. I simply said, “Sir”. He turned and came to the car and I handed him the gift card and said, “I hope this helps a little”. I remember his eyes so clearly. His face was rugged, but his eyes, they just showed his emotion. He took the card and said, “my goodness thank you, and God Bless You”. I told him that I would say a prayer for him and he thanked me for that as well.

I did pray for him, as I made my way back home. I prayed that Father would provide for him and his family. Let’s be real, I don’t know if he was scamming, I don’t know if he was really in trouble. But, what I do know is at the end of the day, he is a child of God, and God asks us to help each other. I didn’t give him money, I gave him a hand with groceries, and maybe that will help. If I see him again, I’ll make a point to actually stop and understand his story, and what brought him to this corner.

I’m just trying to understand better what God wants me to do to share his love. He has been tapping me on the shoulder and putting me in situations lately where I feel I need to do something. So I do. I’m not sure if it’s what Father wants, but at the end of the day, I’ll keep doing my best to follow this path He is laying out.

Have a great day my friends 🙂 .

Hebrews 13:16
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.