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Taking for granted what you should be grateful for

September 20, 2015

It’s been a while since I have deliberately taken time to visit Facebook and either update my status message, or just read through other people’s post. So on Friday morning we were in traffic and since I was feeling somehow sleepy, I decided to go through Facebook. I came across many posts but two caught my attention. The first one caught my attention purely because of the title which said: 15 things men need to know that happen to a woman’s body for her to be satisfied in bed… I believe I don’t need to justify my reading that article. Besides, it had some very interesting “facts” that left me wondering who really does some of these studies to gather the statistics shared. Actually at some point I was laughing out loud to the point of tearing. Anyway, I digress.

The second article which forms the basis of my message today also had me tearing, but for a completely different reason. It had me forgetting about the sex-related article I mentioned above in seconds. It was quite sobering, thought provoking and had me searching my soul deeply. After reading it I knew this is what I’d like to share with you my readers today. The author of the story is known as John Brantley, Principal at A. C. Moore Elementary.

Here is John telling the story in his own words:

This evening as I was leaving Best Buy, I noticed this man going through the garbage can outside of the store. As I walked to my car I watched him as he reached in the garbage can and pulled out fast food trash bags and inspected all that was in the thrown away bags. He did this for several minutes. He would find a few fries in one bag and a bite or two of a hamburger in another bag. In the picture below, you can see the hamburger wrapper by his knee where he was placing the food items he'd found.

He never bothered anyone or tried to stop and beg for money as people entered and left the store. After he went through the entire trash can he neatly cleaned up the area and wrapped up the food he found in the dirty hamburger wrapper. My heart literally hurt for him. I am not someone who just hands out money or even helps homeless people because so many are not truly homeless. I don't guess I've ever seen someone actually go through a garbage can to try to find food to eat.

I knew I had to help him. I got out of my car and asked him if I could buy him something to eat. He told me he would appreciate anything I could get him. He was on a bike and I told him if he'd follow me I'd buy him a meal at the fast food place around the block. He followed me and I bought him the biggest meal they had on the menu. The only request he gave me for his order was if I could get him a big glass of sweet tea to go with his meal!

When I brought him his food, he was so thankful. He told me his name was Steve and he'd been homeless ever since his sister died last September. He was trying to get off the streets, but it was so hard. I told him God loved him and I would pray for him. He told me again how much he appreciated the meal.

When I got back in my car, I drove off with such a heaviness in my heart for this man. I drove down the road and felt compelled to go back to help this man. When I came back he had finished his meal and was riding away. I pulled up beside him and asked him if there was any way I could help him. He told me not really. He never asked me for money. I asked him if I could buy him a few meals and put it on a gift card for him. He told me that would be so kind. I drove to McDonalds and bought him some meals and gave him a gift card.

He broke down crying. He told me that he prayed for me today! I wasn't sure what he meant (I was assuming he was praying for me for what I did for him) so I thanked him. He said, "No, you don't understand. I prayed that God would send someone to buy me a hot meal today...and he sent you!"

I didn't know what to say...I was speechless! Praying for a hot meal wasn't a prayer I had prayed today! Come to think of it, that's not a prayer I've ever prayed! I always pray over my food, but I've never prayed for a meal...it is expected! I've never doubted that I wouldn't be able to eat...Tears began to fill my eyes! Oh my...how blessed am I... Maybe God used me to answer this man's prayer...to let him know that He cares for Him and knows what he was going through! But, maybe God used this man to show me just how blessed I am and what I take for granted...

He said, "You see, I have cancer!" He pulled up his shirt and pointed to a huge mass that was poking out from his stomach. He said he knew it wouldn't be much longer. I asked him if knew Jesus. He told me that he did. I asked if I could pray for him and he said that I could. We prayed right there on the sidewalk of McDonalds. Tears just poured from his eyes. He told me he knew that he was going to die and that he was ready to die. He was tired of being in pain and he would be better off dead because this was no life - living this way. I stayed and encouraged him for a few minutes trying to fight back my tears. My prayer is that I showed him the love of Jesus today...that something I said gave him a hope.

You see, everybody has a story! I know Steve's story now...all because I felt compelled to help him...he ended up touching me today!

When I left him, I knew I had done what God wanted me to do! God put him in my path today...I know he did! I've never felt such a feeling to help someone as I did today. I was reminded again of how blessed I am! I have a vehicle that gets me from place to place, I have a roof over my head, clean clothes, money to buy a hot meal, running water, electricity, my health, a job, family, and friends!

Sometimes God sends situations our way to remind us of how blessed we are! If you've read this far, please remember Steve in your prayers!

What does one say after such a story? I do not want to water down John Brantley’s message with any of my own words. I’ll just ask you one question, have you taken time today to thank God for EVERTHING you have? Maybe you should take at least 15 minutes of your time today doing just that. Maybe you should go out there and look for someone you can bless in return as a sign of gratitude for all that God has done for you.

After reading this story again for the second time as I was setting it up for this article, I realized how ungrateful I’ve been. I have let the many challenges I am going through right now in my life to overshadow the numerous other things I should be grateful to God for. All Steve wanted was I mean. I could have ten of those in a day if I so wished. I pray that God may forgive us all for the many things we take for granted.

Join me in being thankful and grateful to God for all He has done in our lives this far. Have a grateful and appreciative week.

PS: Article originally published in Tanzania's Guardian on Sunday on the 20th September, 2015, under my weekly column "Thoughts in Words"

 

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