As I was strolling around the local dollar store recently, I overheard an ongoing exchange between a child and her mother. The little girl, probably around 8 years old, was on a mission. She was trying to find the perfect gift for someone.
Child- “Oh, maybe a paint set”
Mom- “No sweetie, that’s a sweet idea but, I don’t think he needs a paint set. How about we look for some snacks and water for him?”
Child- “But mom, last time I got him snacks and water he said he already had those.”
Wow, I thought, a tad bit judgmentally to myself, who in the world responds to a child’s gift of the heart like that?
Aisle after aisle the conversation repeated itself, only replacing the paint set with stickers, colored pencils, an art pad…they have a lot of choices at the Dollar store.
I could hear in her tone that the mama was growing weary while also trying so very hard not to stifle the kindness in her little one’s heart.
When I came around the corner, mama met my eyes over the top of her daughter’s head perhaps just needing empathy for her plight. I saw an opportunity to support.
Nonchalantly, while browsing the crafts in front of me I asked “Who are you buying a gift for sweet one?”
“The man out front,” the little girl answered.
It clicked. There was, what appeared to be, an older homeless man parked with a cart of belongings directly to the left of the entrance. He was bedraggled and talking to himself when I passed him to enter. I pondered later within myself why I hadn’t had the same heart as that little girl.
I deciphered quickly that this must be a usual spot for him to settle. This mama/daughter duo had intended to bless him in the past and the daughter’s heart remembered the words he had spoken at the giving of that gift. She was eager to please and get her gift “right” this time.
The mama’s eyes met mine again, this time with an exchange of understanding of the unique dynamics of this gift buying dilemma.
I threw a Hail Mary on behalf of Mama. I knelt down and met that little girl eye to eye.
“I think it is so kind that you want to find just the right gift for him. I saw some awesome toothpaste and toothbrushes and mouthwash right over there. I bet he would like one of those!”
Mom caught the ball and ran with it. “YES! That is a great idea! Why don’t we go look over there sweetie?!”
The little girl turned to look at me, assessing whether I seemed a trustworthy source of information. I smiled big. Assessment completed, she conceded with a nod and with mama in tow, they headed in that direction. Walking away, mama turned and met eyes with me again communicating thankfulness for a potential solution. I smiled in a you’re welcome, hope it works out kind of way.
Spiritual analogies swimming in my head, the Holy Spirit began to whisper to my heart.
How often have I examined what I have to bring to the Lord and underestimated its value? How often have I worked, strived even to produce something that feels good enough or worthy to bring and lay at His feet. What do I possibly have that He doesn’t have already?
Nothing.
And yet. Rather than examining the value of the gift I bring, he examines the heart behind the giving.
In Mark 12:41-44 there is an account of a widow who gives to the Lord. In comparison to others, what she gave did not look like enough. We are told however, that Jesus took notice
So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
This widow gave what she had and though it didn’t seem like much to others, to Jesus, it had great worth and value. She gave wholeheartedly and her gift cost her more than those who gave much more. She gave, He said, her whole livelihood. What she gave cost her something. She gave her very sustenance of life.
And so, back in the car with my little white bag of dollar store necessities, me and Jesus had a moment.
He reminded me that all He requires is that I give Him my life. Not in the same way that Jesus gave His life for me, but in the way that He has called me to. That is what brings His heart joy. He and I both know what that looks like.
That I choose to honor Him with my choices, my words, my use of time. That I wholeheartedly utilize the gifts He has placed within me to bring honor to Him. That I love those around me despite whether they love me back. This is my sustenance for life.
Gracious, I’m a work in progress. I bet you are too. We can be confident though that as we continue to live to honor the very one that gives us life, that He sees the value of each place we choose Him over ourselves. It costs us something, yes, but the worth and value of even what we consider “not enough” is deemed enough by the one who is more than enough. And He, in the amazing way that He does, takes our seemingly “not enough” and does great things with it.
He’s Good that way.
Comments