I've often been the recipient of random acts of kindness. Most notable are the unselfish acts of giving from strangers.
There was the girl at Nordstrom who gave her saint bracelet to me. The woman who gave me a coat right off her back when it was cold. A man who gave me a bottle of wine when he bought six, and again tonight when I noticed a young man's crucifix he was wearing. All of these gifts were given to me simply because I noticed them.
It makes me wonder if there was a need for me to have them, or to notice the unselfishness from where they came. Maybe both. But when contemplating these, it does make me aware of God's desire to provide. In doing so, he also sends his love through his children.
Tonight while I was at work, a young man who was about twenty five came to me. I said to him, "Your crucifix makes quite the statement". He looked at me and smiled. He was in thought for a moment. He turned around and took it off of his neck and gave it to me. It also had a St. Francis of Assisi medal on it. He than just handed it to me, and said, "It's your turn to wear it." and walked away. I was stunned. It obviously meant a great deal to him. I can tell he had it a while. Both the medal and the cross are lovely, and have a nice patina from wear. I was thinking how I couldn't just give away my necklace with a pendant of our Mother Mary to just anyone. I love it too much! But, maybe there lays the lesson. Why hold onto the material, when what I have in my heart is much greater.
The unselfish acts of giving and making others feel joy is wonderful. Even greater is when you learn a humbling lesson from it. That's the love of your brother,"your neighbor" that Christ professed; The second of his two great commandments.
I still am not ready to give my well loved necklace of our Mother Mary away. But I may, when Holy Spirit asks me to.
There was the girl at Nordstrom who gave her saint bracelet to me. The woman who gave me a coat right off her back when it was cold. A man who gave me a bottle of wine when he bought six, and again tonight when I noticed a young man's crucifix he was wearing. All of these gifts were given to me simply because I noticed them.
It makes me wonder if there was a need for me to have them, or to notice the unselfishness from where they came. Maybe both. But when contemplating these, it does make me aware of God's desire to provide. In doing so, he also sends his love through his children.
Tonight while I was at work, a young man who was about twenty five came to me. I said to him, "Your crucifix makes quite the statement". He looked at me and smiled. He was in thought for a moment. He turned around and took it off of his neck and gave it to me. It also had a St. Francis of Assisi medal on it. He than just handed it to me, and said, "It's your turn to wear it." and walked away. I was stunned. It obviously meant a great deal to him. I can tell he had it a while. Both the medal and the cross are lovely, and have a nice patina from wear. I was thinking how I couldn't just give away my necklace with a pendant of our Mother Mary to just anyone. I love it too much! But, maybe there lays the lesson. Why hold onto the material, when what I have in my heart is much greater.
The unselfish acts of giving and making others feel joy is wonderful. Even greater is when you learn a humbling lesson from it. That's the love of your brother,"your neighbor" that Christ professed; The second of his two great commandments.
I still am not ready to give my well loved necklace of our Mother Mary away. But I may, when Holy Spirit asks me to.
