God Will Provide.....

"If you happen to find some money on the ground and looking for some place to share it.....remember us."  These words were spoken to me this past Monday as I delivered Meals on Wheels to the people of Winnsboro.  The week of Christmas, I find myself in a dirty, rundown apartment complex, where the sound of TVs blaring and the smell of cigarette smoke was the norm in this fishy section of town.  The lady, probably in her 50's but looked closer to 70, looked down on the ground as she slowly spoke these words to me. 

As our eyes finally met....I saw the most beautiful hazel colored eyes filled to the brim with sadness and fear......loneliness and hurt.  She explained the only food they had in the house was the Meals on Wheels meal I just brought them....they had no money....and their six grown children were spread out across the country with one sitting in prison....again.  My gut told me a series of bad choices was how they found themselves in this condition....and if I were to give them money, I might be enabling them....giving them money for vices instead of food.  I hugged her, told her I would pray for her, and left.

As I put the Jeep in reverse and started backing out, I paused.  I watched as she picked up tiny pieces of trash from the parking lot and put them in her hand....and a war was raging inside of me.  Do I help her or do I not?   Would I feed her belly or would I feed her habit?  All the way down Walnut St. to the next house on my list, I prayed.  I prayed if God wanted me to help this couple, He would drop the money in my hand. 

As I entered the next house....a simple, clean house of a dear friend that I have visited many times on my route, I handed her the Christmas gift Chuck and I had made for her.  It was a simple wood frame with a picture and the words, "I will provide for you.  Don't worry!"  Luke 12:22-34.....and she handed me a tiny envelope with my name on it.  As I opened the card, a $20 bill fell into my hands.  I just stared at the $20 while playing back the prayer in my head I had just prayed not 5 minutes earlier.  I looked into her eyes, told her the story and asked if I could give this money away.  She ran into the other room, handed me another $10, and said, "I want to be a part of this story too."

I was downright giddy as I headed back up Walnut St. towards the rundown apartment.  I found the man sitting in his recliner, and as I knelt down next to him, I asked if I could tell him a story. I shared how much God loved him....that this money came straight from Heaven....and was earmarked just for him.  With tears in his eyes, he whispered, "But why?"  And with tears in my eyes, I whispered back, "Because He loves you!!".

"I Will Provide For You.  Don't Worry."
Luke 12:22-34