5:02 pm
We all sat at the red light waiting to turn. We were heading to a dinner play date with friends at our local family friendly food stop. As we waited, first in line to turn, we saw a man standing to our left holding a sign like this.
This is how the rest of our evening proceeded:
J: “Mom that man says he is hungry and needs help.”
me: silent
J: “Do you think he has a home?”
me: listening
J: “He is old and scruffy and he looks like he hasn’t had a bath for a very long time.”
me: acknowledging the situation to the best of my ability
Some time passes and we are now entering into the restaurant.
J: “Mom can we help him?”
me: “What do you think we should do?”
J: “Can we bring him some food?”
Me. “Sure, when we leave remind me and we will buy him a sandwich to give to him.”
The kids play and eat and we are getting ready to leave.
J: “Mom don’t forget, we need to buy that man some food.”
me: went to purchase some food and then loaded the kids back in the car to take them to their next desitnation.
C: “That man needs help, we should pray for him.”
J: “Yes, God can help him.”
Me: “We can pray that God will give exactly what he needs.”
C: “Like a home, and some food and a family.”
Stuck at a red light.
J: “Oh I wish this light would go faster, we have to hurry to get to him. Mom what do we do if he is gone?”
Me: “We will pray for him. God loves your heart to help.” as we get closer I can see that the man is gone.
C: “Mom we have to go find him. We have to search for him. God goes to find lost things.”
Me: Speechless. What does a rational adult say to a passionate child in such matters? It is dark, we are in a very busy congested area. We can’t get out of the car and go look for this man, and I am left having to explain this dichotomy to a 5 year old who knows that God goes out to find lost things.
After this whole experience, I am reminded how much our children want to help those in need and how we rarely have opportunities as tangible as that one. So, this week, I am praying through ways that we can be intentional about helping the truly poor in our area. Even if we just buy a bag of apples and some bottled water and go and pass them out at our local immigrant worker area. Just a simple act. A small way to say that you are loved and valuable.
Blessing to all those who want to be like a little child today~
I love that boy…
Comment by Mike Bishop — February 26, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
Ever since I worked at a homeless shelter in Columbus, and got to know so many of those folks, I had a little personal plan to do a little part to help. Basically, make little Help Packs (bus pass, free food coupons, etc.) to keep in my car and hand out to folks out asking for help. I still haven’t actually done that. Thanks for the post - and the push from your kids. =)
Comment by Karyn — February 26, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
[…] Homeschool Diva’s post totally inspired me today, and I was certainly in need of some inspiration, and not […]
Pingback by Mundane Details » Blog Archive » Now Is the Time — February 26, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
. . . and a little child shall lead them.
What a precious child you have! We could all stand to be a little more like this.
Comment by Kyla — February 26, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
Precious sincerity of a child.
God loves an cheerful giver and I think one can add an eager giver to that!
Once again, ‘Bring up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it.’
We decided a while ago to be part of a local ’soup kitchen’ in our little town when my youngest is a little bit bigger.
Reading this, I realised that it is so necessary. They will only live a Christ-like life if they are trained up in from very small.
Absolutely precious. Thank you.
Blessings!
Comment by Ananda — February 27, 2009 @ 4:12 am
“God goes to find lost things.”
And I am so glad for that fact!
You are very right: We don’t often have opportunities to do these tangible kinds of things. That is certainly something to keep in mind as we make choices about what we do and where we go. Very challenging.
Good stuff.
~Luke
Comment by Luke Holzmann — February 27, 2009 @ 10:42 am
[…] may remember the story I told you last week. So this week, we just went for it. I called a few Moms who stay home with their […]
Pingback by Homeschool Diva » Reaching Out~ — March 5, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
God goes to find lost things…
what a perfectly beautiful way to describe Him. wow.
Comment by bethany — March 9, 2009 @ 9:31 am
I am a lurker from afar. Ex-Vineyard, in a missional community/house church group now, 55ish, home schooled our children, etc., etc.
Your thoughts often challenge me or make me smile remembering when ours were young. I haven’t visited your site for a while.
This moved me to tears this morning. God goes to find lost things, indeed. Even those who are His already.
God bless you and your family this day.
Comment by Tim — March 17, 2009 @ 8:01 am