SERVE

I promised IV donut holes this morning before Splash Day at summer camp, so off we went, milk cartons and pink awnings and bonus! donut holes in his little white paper bag.

We ate a few at the tables inside, he said hello to some of the patrons and then we hustled out the door to get to camp.

Sitting outside the building on the ground, no shoes, was a homeless man. Now, there are often homeless folks around the donut shop given its proximity to the old Salvation Army and rarely do any stop me, I suppose because I have a little one with me and am usually in a hurry.

This gentleman called out to me  - "excuse me, ma'am?"

And I stopped. With IV holding my hand in his, milk carton in the other.

"Do you have any change?" he asked me.

I reached in my wallet and pulled out $3.

"Will this get you breakfast inside?" I asked. "God bless you, sir, I hope you have a good day."


We helped him up off the ground and he went inside, wishing us a blessed day.


"Mommy, why didn't he have shoes on?" IV asked me as we walked to the car.


"Well, baby, some people have much, much less than we do. We are very blessed." I explained.


"That was very nice to do Mommy" IV responded.


So we drove to camp and we talked; about how Jesus was a servant and how we are called to be humble and serve other people when they have less than we do. What could we do with $3? We could buy a toy. Or milk. But we gave it to him instead. He needed it more than we needed a toy.


The funny thing is that rarely do I give money to the street homeless. I was never shown that as an example growing up - and NOT to blame or to point fingers at anyone, but I was a product of parents who worked hard, every day, earned every penny and paid the stressful cost of owning businesses...simply giving away money never seemed like an acceptable (ahem, Republican, sorry MOM!) thing to do.


"Get a job"


"They're just waiting for a handout"


"Why don't you help yourself?"


......................................................


And I believed that for awhile. Perhaps until I had a child of my own.


I know - there are circumstances. There are kids who go hungry right here in Galveston, whose parents drop them off with their nails done, cell phones, jewelry, etc. and they haven't eaten since school the day before.


Poor decisions and poor choices, cycles of lack of education and a system that fails them by making it easy to make those poor choices.


But there are times when you are compelled to help. Compelled to reach out a hand. And I was so glad that I chose to do that this morning. Because with one small gesture - a $3 gesture - I was an example of humility and service for my child. And I am SO thankful for that.


And in a world of excess, those opportunities seem to come less and less.