AN ACT OF COMPASSION
“…And when he saw him, he had compassion” Luke 10: 33
My friend John Moses was in the check-out line at a grocery store recently and noticed that an elderly lady with a small child in line in front of him did not have enough money to pay for the groceries she was buying for herself and her grandchild. He noticed how sad and embarrassed she seemed to be as she began removing food items from her bags.
John’s heart was moved with compassion because he realized she needed every single item of food for herself and the child who was with her. Turning to the cashier he said, “Please put those items back into her bag. I will pay for her groceries .” The cashier gladly placed all the food back into the bags. The elderly lady, full of gratitude for such kindness, turned to my friend and thanked him for what he had done.
John did not mean to draw attention to himself, but he immediately received comments from those who saw what he did. The cashier said, “I have worked here for years and I have never seen anyone do that before. There have been many times when people did not have enough money to pay for all their items, and never once, until now, have I seen anyone offer to help them.”
Compassion is an instrument of God’s love and affects the one giving it as well as the one receiving it. One evening not long afterwards, John was driving from his home in Georgia to a work project in south Florida. He began to think about what had happened and became very sad. He felt his heart touched once more as he remembered the lady and the child in the grocery store. But now he was becoming angry with himself because he had only paid the amount the lady lacked. He had wanted to pay for all her groceries and let her keep what little money she had, but the cashier had misunderstood and had charged on his card only what the lady lacked. Tears welled up in his eyes as he envisioned the elderly lady and the child. “I should have done more,” he thought.
It was at this moment that he gave me a call.
I assured him that the Lord was pleased with what he had done. His kindness had blessed the elderly lady and the child and had made an impression on those who saw it. In his humility he was now feeling he had not done enough. But there was no need for guilt. Our walk with God involves a learning process. Sometimes we do things perfectly, other times we stumble around. But the Lord is with us through it all, teaching us, and helping us to grow. The Lord used this experience to reveal Himself to John in a special way. When we are moved with compassion we not only touch others but also God Himself.
[Comments can be made by clicking "comment" just below the next paragraph].
A FRIEND IN NEED
A 24 year old young man named Jack Ness is scheduled for surgery on March 22. His condition is macroprolactinoma, a brain tumor sitting on the optic nerve. He is a fine chrisitian man with a heart of gold. Doctors confirm that if he doesn't have this surgery he will lose his eye sight. The cost of the surgery is $150,000. Jack has no insurance, and Medicaid has turned him down for any assistance. His parents are dear friends of mine and I recommend him as worthy of our help.
If you would like to help this young man, please make out your check to:
North Beach Covenant Church (note "Alms" on the memo line)
and send to:
368 Cox Lane
Longs, SC 29568
My friend John Moses was in the check-out line at a grocery store recently and noticed that an elderly lady with a small child in line in front of him did not have enough money to pay for the groceries she was buying for herself and her grandchild. He noticed how sad and embarrassed she seemed to be as she began removing food items from her bags.
John’s heart was moved with compassion because he realized she needed every single item of food for herself and the child who was with her. Turning to the cashier he said, “Please put those items back into her bag. I will pay for her groceries .” The cashier gladly placed all the food back into the bags. The elderly lady, full of gratitude for such kindness, turned to my friend and thanked him for what he had done.
John did not mean to draw attention to himself, but he immediately received comments from those who saw what he did. The cashier said, “I have worked here for years and I have never seen anyone do that before. There have been many times when people did not have enough money to pay for all their items, and never once, until now, have I seen anyone offer to help them.”
Compassion is an instrument of God’s love and affects the one giving it as well as the one receiving it. One evening not long afterwards, John was driving from his home in Georgia to a work project in south Florida. He began to think about what had happened and became very sad. He felt his heart touched once more as he remembered the lady and the child in the grocery store. But now he was becoming angry with himself because he had only paid the amount the lady lacked. He had wanted to pay for all her groceries and let her keep what little money she had, but the cashier had misunderstood and had charged on his card only what the lady lacked. Tears welled up in his eyes as he envisioned the elderly lady and the child. “I should have done more,” he thought.
It was at this moment that he gave me a call.
I assured him that the Lord was pleased with what he had done. His kindness had blessed the elderly lady and the child and had made an impression on those who saw it. In his humility he was now feeling he had not done enough. But there was no need for guilt. Our walk with God involves a learning process. Sometimes we do things perfectly, other times we stumble around. But the Lord is with us through it all, teaching us, and helping us to grow. The Lord used this experience to reveal Himself to John in a special way. When we are moved with compassion we not only touch others but also God Himself.
[Comments can be made by clicking "comment" just below the next paragraph].
A FRIEND IN NEED
A 24 year old young man named Jack Ness is scheduled for surgery on March 22. His condition is macroprolactinoma, a brain tumor sitting on the optic nerve. He is a fine chrisitian man with a heart of gold. Doctors confirm that if he doesn't have this surgery he will lose his eye sight. The cost of the surgery is $150,000. Jack has no insurance, and Medicaid has turned him down for any assistance. His parents are dear friends of mine and I recommend him as worthy of our help.
If you would like to help this young man, please make out your check to:
North Beach Covenant Church (note "Alms" on the memo line)
and send to:
368 Cox Lane
Longs, SC 29568
Comments
Billy