After researching options to have the screen fixed locally ($60-$160), she found a replacement iPod for $60 on Craigslist. Not only was it the same model, but it had double the storage, so this looked like the ultimate solution.
Common Giving Principle (I hope): If you break something that belongs to someone else, replace it with something as good or better.
Due to constantly changing circumstances, it had been difficult to coordinate with the owner a time to pick up the iPod, so I had carried the cash in my purse for about a week. Finally, we were scheduled to pick it up Sunday night.
Incidentally, that afternoon, we were sitting at a stop light and noticed two homeless men under a bridge. I think the children are who called it to my attention. I could have driven by and let it go, and part of me wanted to do that. We had been in the car for about an hour and were so close to visiting my husband, in the hospital recovering from a surgery. However, we have made giving a part of our life so much that it almost seems unnatural to ignore the opportunities as they present themselves.
I felt uncomfortable ignoring them, as we approached the next stop light, knowing once I went through it, within a few minutes they would be behind us and forgotten. So, I spoke up. But rather than being the leader in "doing the right thing", I put it on the children's shoulders.
"I have the $60 for the iPod in my purse. Do you guys think we should stop and give it to those guys and get another $60 out of an ATM for the iPod?" I asked.
Without hesitation they exclaimed, "Yes!"
And so, I changed course and quickly turned left at the light pulling into the corner gas station. I rolled my window down and honked my horn to get their attention. They looked up, and I waved them over.
While they were crossing the access road, I searched my purse pockets for the cash.
When they came up to the car, I had three twenty dollar bills to divide into two. I handed the first man forty dollars and asked him if he would split it with the second man approaching. I handed the second man the other twenty dollars. They agreed they would split the money. They were very excited and surprised at the amount that had been handed to them.
I started to give my typical speech that the Lord is good and that we are simply letting them know that He sees them, He loves them, and that He is taking care of them. The money is just a symbol of that. Then, I felt compelled to share the testimony of our family recently getting our van as a gift from the Lord out of our faith, words, and obedience in serving Him.
I always want to use that story as a tangible example to build their faith, because God is no respector of persons, and I believe if people can meet and talk with real people who have real stories of God's provision, then they may become that much closer in their relationship with their Father... and therefore, also receive His provisions in their life (when they know Him and how He operates they can know how to recognize when His love and provision comes along).
To conclude my "speech", I encouraged them to look at the cash blessing as a gift from God as well as a seed to produce more funds for them. I used my typical example.
"If you had nothing to eat, and I gave you a watermelon, would you eat the whole watermelon?"
The African-American man pondered and said, "No. I don't like watermelon."
The Caucasian friend with him laughed and said something about him being rare that he wouldn't like watermelon.
Immediately, I realized what I had accidentally done and stressed that I was just using an example I always use, and that I was not making that analogy due to his race.
We got back on track and I pointed out that it would be wise to at least take seed from the watermelon fruit and plant it, so that they would get another harvest of watermelons. I shared what I have learned about the Kingdom of God being similar in that when we receive fruit from the Lord, we should sow a seed from it back to the Lord, and He will help us reap another larger harvest.
They were listening and seemed to assure me that they would do as I had encouraged them.
Right at that time, there was a third homeless man that started to walk across the parking lot. I saw this as an opportunity for them to put their seed in action right then.
"Will you go share one of those twenties with that man right there?"
Immediately they both said they could not do that. Their excuse was that they knew that man and he would not be a good one to give the money to. They assured me they had other people in mind that would be better to share with. At the time, I felt a little irritated that I had given them all three twenties and that they wouldn't share, but I was easily persuaded into their mindset of the man not being "worthy" of the other twenty, and so I did not question it or call them on it.
It was not until later that it hit me. I did not know them. How did I know they were worthy of that $60 gift we gave them? How quickly they lost perspective of the grace that was given to them or how conditioned they are to keep it all to themselves and not know how or why it must, by definition, be shared without partiality. Perhaps God was giving them an opportunity right at that moment for them to exercise their faith (based on all they had just personally witnessed, seen, heard, and received by His Grace through using us) so that they would get personal access and understanding of how His Kingdom work and increase their harvest right then. But, they said no.
Proportionately, how often do we all do that?
Our cars, our houses, our jobs, our clothes, our food, our whatevers. They are ours. Or are they?
Is it all not by the blessing and grace of God's provision on our lives that we have any of it?
And so, when we see someone who has less than us, why do we say, "No, Lord. Not him. He may not be worthy of what I have to give. But, don't worry Lord, I'll give it to someone I think is worthy,"
I am reminded of this parable Jesus told in Matthew 18:23-35 of the Unforgiving Debtor.
I am SO thankful the Lord has given us SO much, and I hope I always remember that I honestly have not been "worthy" of any of it by anything I have done, but only because He loved me before I was even born am I found worthy.
And He loved all of them too.
They too are worthy.
May we always share as we are able, and as we see need... when we see the need.
Our Father is calling us.
And, the thing is - He has so many promises for us when we do!
We are never left empty handed.
As we drove away, I set my faith for a ten fold return. Then my soul quickly realized that I was not requiring much faith as I have seen that happen so many times. So, I set my faith for a hundred fold return on that money... or seed sown into the Kingdom. (Genesis 26:12)
"I am going to set my faith for $60,000.00. That's something I don't know how or when could happen, and so I believe that's what I need to set my faith for." I announced to the children in the car. I tried to imagine how it would come, but I couldn't. And so, I knew that was the place to be.
And the funny thing is, two days later, I got a text message that a stock we have shot up out of nowhere! (Well, there is another "God-story" in there.)
Long story short, we were holding shares that had dropped significantly. I needed to sell some shares to get funds to pay upcoming bills, but I was not wanting to take the loss. When I got that text, I immediately sold the shares I needed to pay our bills and was able to save a little over $600.00 (from what was a loss just two hours before).
There was a ten-fold return!
* * * *
Incidentally, that afternoon, we were sitting at a stop light and noticed two homeless men under a bridge. I think the children are who called it to my attention. I could have driven by and let it go, and part of me wanted to do that. We had been in the car for about an hour and were so close to visiting my husband, in the hospital recovering from a surgery. However, we have made giving a part of our life so much that it almost seems unnatural to ignore the opportunities as they present themselves.
I felt uncomfortable ignoring them, as we approached the next stop light, knowing once I went through it, within a few minutes they would be behind us and forgotten. So, I spoke up. But rather than being the leader in "doing the right thing", I put it on the children's shoulders.
"I have the $60 for the iPod in my purse. Do you guys think we should stop and give it to those guys and get another $60 out of an ATM for the iPod?" I asked.
Without hesitation they exclaimed, "Yes!"
And so, I changed course and quickly turned left at the light pulling into the corner gas station. I rolled my window down and honked my horn to get their attention. They looked up, and I waved them over.
While they were crossing the access road, I searched my purse pockets for the cash.
When they came up to the car, I had three twenty dollar bills to divide into two. I handed the first man forty dollars and asked him if he would split it with the second man approaching. I handed the second man the other twenty dollars. They agreed they would split the money. They were very excited and surprised at the amount that had been handed to them.
I started to give my typical speech that the Lord is good and that we are simply letting them know that He sees them, He loves them, and that He is taking care of them. The money is just a symbol of that. Then, I felt compelled to share the testimony of our family recently getting our van as a gift from the Lord out of our faith, words, and obedience in serving Him.
 |
| The day we "received" our van I had been believing for! |
To conclude my "speech", I encouraged them to look at the cash blessing as a gift from God as well as a seed to produce more funds for them. I used my typical example.
"If you had nothing to eat, and I gave you a watermelon, would you eat the whole watermelon?"
The African-American man pondered and said, "No. I don't like watermelon."
The Caucasian friend with him laughed and said something about him being rare that he wouldn't like watermelon.
Immediately, I realized what I had accidentally done and stressed that I was just using an example I always use, and that I was not making that analogy due to his race.
 |
| Image Source |
They were listening and seemed to assure me that they would do as I had encouraged them.
Right at that time, there was a third homeless man that started to walk across the parking lot. I saw this as an opportunity for them to put their seed in action right then.
"Will you go share one of those twenties with that man right there?"
Immediately they both said they could not do that. Their excuse was that they knew that man and he would not be a good one to give the money to. They assured me they had other people in mind that would be better to share with. At the time, I felt a little irritated that I had given them all three twenties and that they wouldn't share, but I was easily persuaded into their mindset of the man not being "worthy" of the other twenty, and so I did not question it or call them on it.
It was not until later that it hit me. I did not know them. How did I know they were worthy of that $60 gift we gave them? How quickly they lost perspective of the grace that was given to them or how conditioned they are to keep it all to themselves and not know how or why it must, by definition, be shared without partiality. Perhaps God was giving them an opportunity right at that moment for them to exercise their faith (based on all they had just personally witnessed, seen, heard, and received by His Grace through using us) so that they would get personal access and understanding of how His Kingdom work and increase their harvest right then. But, they said no.
Proportionately, how often do we all do that?
Our cars, our houses, our jobs, our clothes, our food, our whatevers. They are ours. Or are they?
Is it all not by the blessing and grace of God's provision on our lives that we have any of it?
And so, when we see someone who has less than us, why do we say, "No, Lord. Not him. He may not be worthy of what I have to give. But, don't worry Lord, I'll give it to someone I think is worthy,"
I am reminded of this parable Jesus told in Matthew 18:23-35 of the Unforgiving Debtor.
I am SO thankful the Lord has given us SO much, and I hope I always remember that I honestly have not been "worthy" of any of it by anything I have done, but only because He loved me before I was even born am I found worthy.
And He loved all of them too.
They too are worthy.
May we always share as we are able, and as we see need... when we see the need.
"You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him,
because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in
all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore
I command you, saying, 'You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to
your poor and your needy, in your land.'" Deu 15:10-11 NKJV
because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in
all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore
I command you, saying, 'You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to
your poor and your needy, in your land.'" Deu 15:10-11 NKJV
Our Father is calling us.
And, the thing is - He has so many promises for us when we do!
"He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given."
Pro 19:17 NKJV
Pro 19:17 NKJV
We are never left empty handed.
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts."
Mal 3:10-12 NKJV
As we drove away, I set my faith for a ten fold return. Then my soul quickly realized that I was not requiring much faith as I have seen that happen so many times. So, I set my faith for a hundred fold return on that money... or seed sown into the Kingdom. (Genesis 26:12)
"I am going to set my faith for $60,000.00. That's something I don't know how or when could happen, and so I believe that's what I need to set my faith for." I announced to the children in the car. I tried to imagine how it would come, but I couldn't. And so, I knew that was the place to be.
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us," Eph 3:20 NKJV
according to the power that works in us," Eph 3:20 NKJV
And the funny thing is, two days later, I got a text message that a stock we have shot up out of nowhere! (Well, there is another "God-story" in there.)
 |
| RAD stock shot up Tues, Oct 27, 2015 |
Long story short, we were holding shares that had dropped significantly. I needed to sell some shares to get funds to pay upcoming bills, but I was not wanting to take the loss. When I got that text, I immediately sold the shares I needed to pay our bills and was able to save a little over $600.00 (from what was a loss just two hours before).
There was a ten-fold return!
* * * *
Thank you Lord for Your promises and that we can trust them when You give us opportunities to be Your hands, feet, and provision for Your children.
Side note to the story:
At the end of our conversation with the homeless men (Lloyd and Chad), right before we left, Lloyd says, "If you ever need someone to fix a cracked screen, I'm your man."
This was so strange as that was the whole purpose of the cash we had just given to him!
He started to tell us how he gets sheets of screen and uses his "tools" to cut it to size and can fix it in 15 minutes. I asked to see his cell phone (his resume and reference), and I noticed his screen was cracked. When I asked about it, he said his daughter throws it up against the wall, so he's quit fixing it.
2 things:
1. How did he have a cell phone?
I asked him this question. He credited the Obama Free Cell Phone program. So, in case you too are wondering and about to make a judgement, I thought that was interesting that he has a more up to date phone than I do, and it's free! This program could be life changing for so many who may not know about it. Looking at the website, it looks like our family even qualifies, so there's a possible gift back to us if we choose to apply for it. :)
2. Why did he mention that he fixes screens?
Was this a "God Whisper" so to speak?
Though I don't understand the whole picture, I definitely think it was significant. I believe God was communicating to us that He was in the midst of the whole transaction.
"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Mat 18:20 NKJV
