A STORY WORTH TELLING!

It seems lately that everywhere I turn I keep hearing about God’s love and how much He loves us and how we should reflect God’s love not only to a lost and dying world but also, to our Christian family. Not long ago I ran across a gentleman who stopped me as I was walking to my car. He began to cry as he told me that his wife had just had surgery that very morning and he didn’t have enough money to buy gas so that he could go see her at the hospital. Well, of course, I immediately thought that the man wanted the money to go buy drugs or booze. I gave him the ten dollars that he asked for, but I told him that I was giving it to him for his wife and that Jesus would know what he used the money for. I then said “God bless you” and we parted ways.

Two things about that incident have been bothering me. The first thing that bothered me is that the gentleman said that he had been driving around since 6:00am (this incident occurred around 10 or 11) trying to get enough money to buy gas with. I’ve thought back over that incident several times and I think to myself “ok...the amount of gas that you burned up by driving around, couldn’t you have just used that gas to go straight to the hospital and why weren’t you at the hospital while your wife was having surgery?” The second thing that has been bothering me was my attitude! He didn’t need to hear a sermon from me that Jesus would know what he did with the money. What has been bothering me about that whole episode is that it was not about the gentleman, it was about me, it was about my attitude! Did I show the love of God to this gentleman? I don’t think so!

As Christians, we should jump at every opportunity to show Gods’ love! Doesn’t God tell us in Psalm 50:12b “....for the world is mine, and all that is in it.” So, why should I be concerned about what the man spent Gods’ ten dollars on?

In John 15:12 we are commanded by Jesus to love each other just as he has loved us. I admit when I gave the gentleman the money, I was not doing it out of love. I was doing what a Christian was supposed to do. That’s like me telling God “well, you’re God, you’re supposed to forgive my sins!” But, before creation, God chose to love me! Before I ever heard the name Jesus, He chose to die on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins! It’s not like I was being asked to give up my life for this gentleman, but God did expect me to show His love to a fellow human who needed compassion.

Another thing that bothers me about this incident is not only did I not show Gods’ love, but I was also being hypocritical to someone less fortunate by saying “God bless you!” Instead he should have been saying “God bless you” to me because I was conveying a “pious” attitude by saying that to him without love. In retrospect, I realize now that I should have handed him the money, walked quietly to my car and prayed for both the gentleman and his wife.

Why is this a story worth telling? Because it’s a story about Gods’ love and how I failed to show that love to someone in need. It’s a story worth telling so that I can remember and learn from it. It’s a story worth telling so that the next time God gives me an opportunity to show His love....I’ll remember and hopefully I won’t fail! It’s a story worth telling so that you will remember also.

And Jesus said “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:30-31

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son.” 1 John 4:9-10

Cindy

Bible Verse taken from the New International Version
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