Reflect
“Don’t change!” I plead to the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp. No use. I brake to a stop beside a homeless veteran on the grass holding a sign. Embarrassed to turn my eyes away, I roll down my window and slip him two ones. He smiles in gratitude, “Thank you so much, young lady.” Then it was my turn to smile.
Pray
Generous God,
Open my eyes to the needy around me,
at a stop sign, on a park bench, under a highway underpass.
I don’t want to limit my “generosity”
to sending checks in the mail
to favorite charities out of arm’s reach.
Send me little nudges,
like a red light on an exit ramp,
to bring me face-to-face with people
who need just a little help to get by.
Act
For many years, I had qualms about giving money to strangers holding signs describing their need. Maybe I had believed dire predictions of how the money would be spent. If you are in that same ambivalent space, make the first move to help someone—pitch in a dollar or two. If it feels okay, make it a more frequent habit.
