Open Heart Opportunity for a Big Blessing

I would like to discuss an enlightening outing at Ralph’s Grocery Store. I decided to stop by the grocery store one day coming from the beach to get some goodies. I briefly talked to a man in the checkout line. A song was playing. The song was written by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Just the two of us… We can make it if we try. Just the two of us, you and I. I said, “Those are some really good songs that they wrote back then, and these are really good songwriters.” The man responded, “Yeah, they don’t make them like that anymore.” 

I kept listening to the song and singing a little bit as the cashier was checking out my groceries. When I paid, my card was declined. I thought, ‘oh, what happened?’ I tried again, and the second time, my card went through. Then the man behind me, who I had been conversing with about the music, said, “Oh, you know, the funny thing is, I was going to pay if it didn’t go through.”  I was like, “Oh, yeah? Well, thanks anyway.” 

But you didn’t pay for it. That was my thought in my head. Thanks for telling me. Do you want me to thank you for the thought of giving? I thought about giving to you. I thought about paying for your food. I thought about it. Well, you can have all the thoughts you want about love, about giving, which is an act of love, but it doesn’t really matter unless you act on it.

Giving is actually one of the highest forms of love. In fact, in the King James Version of the Holy Bible, they substitute the word love for charity in 1 Corinthians 13. Charity is not puffed up. Charity never fails. Giving is charity. Charity is love. The thought is good, but you have to take action. This is a missed opportunity of a big blessing because God blesses those who give.

If you sow your bread on the water, after many days it’s coming back to you, it says in the book of Ecclesiastes. The Word of God talks about giving your bread. Your bread is your money. Bread is a colloquialism for money. God blesses givers. In this situation, the man could have been really blessed by paying for my groceries. Who doesn’t need an extra blessing in their life? 

The more you give, the more you receive. It didn’t matter if my card went through the second time or not. When he had it on his heart to pay for my groceries, he had an open heart. He thought, ‘I’m going to pay for her food if it doesn’t go through.’ 

This is how he could have gone the second mile. Jesus says, if someone compels you to go one mile, go two miles with him. He could have gone the second mile by saying, ‘You know what, I got it. Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay for it.’ I would have been thankful, and I would have prayed for him. 

I always pray for people who help me. Not necessarily in front of them, but later on, under my breath, behind their back, I’m praying for them because this person helped me. I tell my Father, ‘God, Father God, this person helped me. Bless them so they will know that I am your child and that you bless those who are a blessing.’ 

The next time you have an open heart of charity like this man did, don’t hesitate. Don’t be hindered by obligation. Well, if this, then that. No. If you have the heart to give, go ahead and do it. Love will increase in your heart and in our city.

God bless, Shirah Chante, Relationship Artist 

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