Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth, “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus, for in him you have been enriched in every way . . .”
Mark Tidd of Webster, New York once described a family experience from his college days. An old man showed up at the back door of the family’s rent house. Opening the door a few inches, they saw an old man with glassy eyes and a face glistening with silver stubble. He clutched a wicker basket holding a few unappealing vegetables. We were hesitant, thinking he might be an outof- luck panhandler or maybe worse.
He bid us good morning and offered his produce for sale. Awkwardly, we made a quick purchase at the door to alleviate both our pity and our uneasiness.
To the family’s chagrin, the man returned the next week, introducing himself as Mr. Roth from “the place at the end of the road.” Mark knew “the place at the end of the road;” it was a small, dilapidated shack. As their fears began to subside, they visited with him long enough and close enough to realize it wasn’t alcohol but cataracts that marbleized his eyes. On later visits, Mr. Roth would shuffle in wearing two mismatched right shoes, and pull out a battered harmonica. With glazed eyes that could still clearly see a future glory, he’d wheeze out old gospel hymns, share his faith in God and talk about his vegetable garden.
On one visit he exclaimed, “The Lord is so good! I came out of my shack yesterday and found a bag full of shoes and clothes on my porch.”
“That’s wonderful, Mr. Roth!” they said. “We’re so happy for you.”
“And you know what’s even more wonderful?” he asked. “Just today I met some people who could really use them.”
Two “wonderful” things for which Mr. Roth was thankful: one was that the Lord had put it into the hearts of people to share with him; and the second was that he had been given the blessing to share with others. Mr. Roth was right: “The Lord is so good.” God has given us so many blessings. And some other people could also use them.
One of the personality traits that generous people possess, and why they are so open to sharing their blessings, is contentment with what they have. I could never remember the child’s name because the story is several years old, but a little girl who was living in the hospital’s cancer ward was asked what she wanted for her birthday. She looked down as she thought, and as she thought, she caressed her bald head. “Oh, I just don’t know. I have my Cabbage Patch Doll: I have everything.”
A man dreamed one night that an angel stood at the foot of his bed announcing that he was to guide the man to the outskirts of Hell and then to the boundary of Heaven. At the outskirts of Hell, the man saw a long dining table that extended beyond the horizon, with people seated across from each other. The table was filled with all the foods anyone could desire. But those seated at the table were distressed and gaunt because the forks and spoons were all four feet long and they could not get the food to their mouths. At the boundary to Heaven was a similar, miles-long table with all the makings of a feast, and the same four-foot-long tableware. But the residents of Paradise were pleased and laughing. They were using the long spoons and forks to reach over the table and feed each other.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.