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| Image Courtesy of Amazon website |
For many of you who are familiar with the author, Debbie Macomber, you know she writes mostly fictional books. Debbie Macomber has recently written a non-fiction book, called
In this book, the author uses scripture and true stories to show the reader that
a life of generosity is not only possible but very powerful. Below is one of the excerpts taken from this book.
Kate stepped out of her bookstore at the end of a long day, locked the door behind her, and pulled her scarf up over her nose and mouth to shield her lungs from the bitter cold air, and hurried across the parking lot to her car. One quick stop at the grocery store and she'd be on her way home to cuddle up with her book by the warm fire.
As she waited at the intersection for the light to turn, so she could turn into the grocery store lot, she took off one of her gloves to feel if the air blasting out of the vents was starting to get warm. In the few minutes that it had taken her to get from the grocery store from her bookstore, her fingers had started to ache from the cold.
As the light turned green, she turned into the grocery store lot and noticed a young man who looked to be in his twenties, holding a cardboard sign: Homeless. Need Food. Please Help, standing in the thin median of the lot.
At his feet was a small white plastic bucket. His collar was pulled high against the cold, but her eyes went to his hands holding the sign. Bare hands.
Her thoughts went to her own son, who was around the same age as this homeless young man. Was his hands cold tonight like this young man's hands?
She hurried into the grocery store and picked up the groceries she was needing for the weekend. She then went down one more aisle. After checking out, she loaded the groceries into her car. She pulled alongside the median where the homeless young man was. She rolled down her window. The young man walked over with his bucket outstretched. Instead of money, she held out a warm pair of gloves that she'd just bought. The young man looked startled.
"Your hands must be terribly cold," she said. "I hope these help." The young man took the gloves and thanked her. The car behind her honked and she pulled away and moved towards the intersection. She glanced in her rearview mirror as she pulled away and saw the young man pulling on the gloves.
"Take care of my son tonight, Lord, she prayed. Show him your love through the kindness of a stranger.
And Lord, comfort the mother of that young man tonight."
In that one simple act, she had discovered the act of generosity. This story taken from the book, One Simple Act by Debbie Macomber. There are many other stories like this in this book. This story reminds us to "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Jesus." - 1 Thesalonians 5:18
Remember that the little things really do matter.
Have you ever discovered something so great that you just had to tell your friends? Perhaps a great vacation spot, a new clothing store that you stumbled on, or a movie that you may have seen that made you laugh till you cried. When we find something we love, we want to share it with others and spread the joy. Intentional acts of generosity can open our lives to the very best God has to offer.
