A Generous Spirit: An Embarrassing Experience Turns Holy

I recently heard about a woman, who is struggling financially, who had a holy moment last week. Life has been very difficult for her lately and she has had to ask for help in ways that she never thought she ever would. She was at a gas station getting gas for her car trying to use $10 on a gift card to pay for the gas. The attendant was having a great deal of difficulty getting the cash register to read the card. Finally in frustration he preset the pump for $10 in gas while he phoned a supervisor for help with the machine. She got the gas and returned to the office to find the attendant on the phone trying over and over again to get the machine to read the card. She stood there as a line formed behind her. The line got longer and longer. People needing gas – obviously in a hurry, being patient, but it was very, very embarrassing. The attendant asked her several times for some other method of payment but the reality was the card was all she had. There was nothing else.

Finally a woman in line spoke up and said: “Do you owe $10 for the gas?” she nodded, then the woman opened her wallet and handed her a $10 bill and said with a smile “Here, itʼs a gift.” The attendant gratefully took the bill and handed her the receipt.

The woman was overwhelmed. She asked the other woman for her address so she could return the money. But the woman refused saying: “My faith tells me it will come back to me, donʼt worry”.

The reality was that later this woman found out
that had the cash register functioned properly, she only had $8 left on the card. Itʼs hard to tell which one of these folks is happier.

The face of generosity knows no bounds. Life can become holy anytime, anyplace, when itʼs Godʼs instrument.

How do you feel about your generosity? Has it been a while since you have felt truly generous? More than $10ʼs worth at the gas station? We all have an opportunity every Sunday to act out our faith right here at MHCC. Knowing that youʼre giving to Godʼs work not only sustains the church, but it becomes holy as we give back to God what God has generously given us. We donʼt have to stand in line at the gas station to give – itʼs a weekly opportunity that celebrates our faith and shows our love.

Paul Johnson

Oh, by the way, this is a true story.