View from the big hill

View from the big hill

Thursday, September 6, 2012

What Would You Do?

I had something happen to me today.  I was leaving a restaurant at lunch, loading my kids in the car when I saw a woman walking down the sidewalk.  As she passed by, she asked me if I had two dollars so she could get to the food bank and get food for her kids.  My mind instantly went to where yours probably just did too.  Oh really, you want some money to get to the food bank?  Sure, you are probably going to use it for something other than bus fare and I will be out two bucks.  I told her I didn't have any cash and she thanked me kindly and went on her way.  Mind you, towards the bus stop.  As I watched her back as she walked away, I instantly felt like a complete fool.  Who am I to judge whether or not this woman is really using the money to go to the food bank?  Is this what God expects of me?  To come to conclusions about another person in this manner and not help them?  What if she really did have kids who were in school at that moment and she has been trying to figure out how to put dinner on the table for them when they get home.  Well, I called after her.  She stopped and turned around really slow and I told her all I had was a dollar bill (the truth).  She came back, I gave her the dollar, she thanked me and went on her way.  I finished loading my kids in the car and I too went on my way.  I saw her up the street, walking towards the bus stop.  And did I feel better?  Nope.  I was disappointed in my initial thoughts and I really didn't feel great that somewhere there are probably kids that are eating from a food bank.  I hope if she did need to get food for kids, that is what she did and I hope she is able to find a way to ensure they always have a good hot meal on the table.  I suppose I just passed one of the many tests God gives us each day.  Her test was obviously much more difficult than mine.  Much more difficult.  May God please bless her and her family.