Such as These- Matthew's 1st Time

Today it was Matthew's turn. I was so proud of him. I cried most of the way home from church.

My kids are used to Rob and I stopping to get a homeless person a meal, talking to them, taking them food from home, me crying after doing any of those things.... Today, Matthew, Barbara & I stopped at Sheetz near our church to get something to eat on our way home. There was a man, Lacy (?spelling?) standing at that nearest corner, a short walk away, with his sign. I don't know what his sign said, but I can guess as they are often the same message.

Matthew and Barbara went in to get something for us. I told Matthew to get a $5 gift card while he was in there for that man. No big deal- they're used to this from their mom. Happens often enough. He knew what was going to happen next. Or so he thought, and so did I. But God took this a whole new direction. For some reason :) when Matthew got in, I said "I'm going to ask you to do something out of your comfort zone, okay?" He agreed and then I told him to go walk over there and give that man the gift card. I told him that God will give us words to speak, but that if he didn't feel impressed to say something from God, then to just tell the man that our family wanted him to have lunch, that it wasn't much, but it would at least get him a meal. I watched from my car (keeping an eye out for my kid, I'm naive, but not totally). I saw my youngest child, my most painfully bashful child, my miracle baby that God used to show His healing power, my Matthew go over and have a long conversation with the man. Saw him point to the car several times, saw the man looking our way, saw my son bow his head in prayer, talk to the man some more, then offer that stranger his hand and walk away. By the time he got to the car, there were big tears in his eyes. He got in and said, "Mom, that was different." His voice was shaky but he had a BIG grin on his face. I just thought he meant that it was new for him or the conversation had been weird or something, but then I asked him to tell me what he said and how the conversation went. As he talked, he kept those tears in his eyes, and wouldn't you know it- God had given that young man of ours (Gods & mine) His words to speak to the man, and Matthew was obedient to God. I was soooo very proud of him. He said he asked Lacy if he could pray, and the man said, "Could you now?" and my shy, self-conscious Matthew bowed his head and prayed for this man.

Then, Matthew said that Lacy told him he'd be praying for us. This is so humbling and overpowering to me. This man says he'll pray for me??? WOW! He, without anything of his own wants to pray for me, who has a home, food, family, love, support, a job, blessings I can't even begin to count. Why? I am already blessed, and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO UNDESERVING of that. I know he may not have really meant it, he may not even do it, but still the thought that he would pray for me just blows my mind!

The same thing happens to me each time I give someone a meal and they tell me, "God bless you." And this happens to me a lot. Here are people who have nothing- no home, no warm, dry place to stay, no family to share their lives with, nothing but the clothes on their back. They are usually pretty dirty and often smelly. And they want God to bless me???? It always blows me away the same way when someone tells me that. I just can't fathom it.

But here's what I will say for sure. God bless these people we've crossed paths with whose names I'm listing on the side of this blog as my reminder. You know where they are at tonight and each day & night that passes. You love them and want to bless them too. Send them Your love each day. Let each of them have a divine appointment with someone each day who will not only give them some money, but who will provide them a meal and a smile and take time to ask their name or shake their hand so they know they are valued and worth something. Everybody needs to be loved and know they are valuable to someone and needed by someone. Everybody!

God, do bless me and our family, but not so I can have a bigger home someday, more clothes in my closet, fancier food in my pantry, more/bigger/better toys. God bless me so I can give more people more meals, so I can bless others who need You and a warm meal or a pair of gloves on a snowy day, or a hat to keep the sun off their face. Help me to help others even more than I do now.

And thanks God for speaking to my child's heart, for giving him the courage to do that today, for giving him the words to say, for letting him hear Your voice and know it was you. What a wonderful experience, and I'm so honored to have been part of that today. I may not measure up to some standards held up by others, but I know I pleased you today when I helped my child take care of one of the least of these.

Gratefully yours,
Rebekah :)