The day I gave up lunch

Bon Iver - Re: Stacks

Press play and please read on.

Let's start this story a few weeks ago when I started my new job. On the exit that I take every day on my way to work, I noticed a homeless woman standing on the corner asking for money...

Now, this lady stuck in my mind. All day long while I worked I would wonder if anyone had stopped, if anyone had given her any money, or how long she was standing there. I wanted to help, for sights like this break my heart....and there she was every day as I drove to work in the morning.

It would frustrate me that I didn't know what I could do about it. I was broke. I had literally no cash on me and since I just started this job, I hadn't even been paid yet. It didn't help matters that I would find myself rationalizing that I really had nothing to give and questioning if this woman was really in need or if she was just standing out there hoping to make a couple of bucks....

Yesterday this finally changed. As I was working, an old man came inside and as I was chatting with him, he mentioned to me that all he had was his credit card for he had just given all his cash to the homeless people on the corner.

This was a (loving, but deserved) smack in my face straight from God himself. This man had just given all his money to some people he didn't even know, who were in need. And here I was, doing nothing, telling myself that they didn't really need my help.

Last night as I laid in bed, all I could think about was how much I resemble the rich man in Mark 10, Luke 18, and Matthew 19. In some areas of my life I follow God so willingly and joyfully. Yet when it comes to other things...am I really following God? I say I am, but if God asked me to sell everything I own, & give to the poor would I do it? Or would I walk away like the man in these passages?

I didn't like that I was calling myself a follower of God, when people right in front of me were starving while I did nothing, even though I had plenty.
I realized last night that it's not my job to question if this woman is really in need or if she just wants some extra cash.
My job is not to just sit & pray yet to take no action.
My job is to use the resources God has given me, to bless others. To give my time, my money, my love, and God...to others. Even when it's costly for myself.
That is what God has called me to do.

I love James 1:27, especially in The Message translation...
"Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world"

This is what Christianity is.

Last night as I laid in bed I asked God for the ability to bless someone tomorrow. To put someone else's needs above my own & for the blessing of seeing God work.

Today - I woke up for work & rushed along, grabbing my things. Anxious and nervous of what the next hour was going to bring. As I drove to work in prayer, I transferred my lunch that I bring to work every day from my cooler into a brown paper lunch bag - Only a turkey sandwich, carrots & peas, a cookie, & a bottle of water.

I found that my mind was starting to worry - what if the lady wasn't there today. Or what if she just wanted money? Or what if she didn't accept food? What if she was offended? What if she wasn't even hungry?

As I exited onto that exit, I whispered a prayer and rolled down my window. There she was. To get to her I had to pull into the left lane, even though my work site requires a right turn. As I got close to her, God answered my worries as she was holding a sign that said "molested and hungry." She would accept my food.

I pulled next to her and with a smile I told her, "I know this isn't much, but I'd like you to have this lunch." With tears in her eyes, she smiled back at me and gladly accepted it, saying thank you and God bless you to me. I took the left turn and drove a ways before I turned around to get back to work. As I drove past her again to get to work, I saw her sitting there, on the curb, eating my lunch as if she hadn't eaten in a very long time.

In that moment, I felt God. I think I was more blessed in that moment, then she was. God had given me the opportunity to bless someones life. To love someone with His love...That is not something to take lightly.

I am now determined to bless this lady as much as I can.

God has placed it on my heart to give up my daily lunch, for her sake. I can easily give up my lunch to provide for someone who doesn't get to have lunch. So for the rest of this summer, I will continue to head to work a little early in order to bless this woman with my brown bag of lunch.

While I am at work & begin to grow hungry, I will use that time to pray for her and for others, & I will see what God can do.


Final Thoughts I am not writing all this to feel good about myself or to brag and make people think I'm a good person.

(because I'm not)

I am merely writing this in hopes that you will be inspired to do something similar. To step out of your normal pattern and bless someone else. To put someone else's needs above your own and to allow God to use you.

God used that man who gave his money to get my attention, and I hope this will do the same for you.

Luke 4:18 (The Message)
God's Spirit is on me;
he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to
the poor,
Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
recovery of sight to the blind,
To set the burdened and battered free,
to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place."