Recently, a devotional from Our Daily Bread spoke to me. The
concept of being “too blessed” is not new and we often speak about our
blessings and I know that I have abundantly more than a lot of people in the
world. But sometimes seeing it firsthand is more powerful than just hearing or
reading about other people’s struggles.
My church has been trying hard to reach out to our local
community. We have been interacting specifically with three families. Believe me, none of these families have it
easy. The one couple has severe health issues and a tremendous amount of their
money goes for prescription drugs. They
were so appreciative when the church financially helped to send two of their
children to a Christian camp for a week.
It would have been impossible for them to come up with the money to send
them, and they were so grateful that their children could have this
opportunity.
A second couple lives in a mobile home in a mobile home park
and both are on disability so have a very limited income. They were so excited
when we as a church, also gave their girls the opportunity to experience a week
at camp. They wanted to drive the girls
to camp the first day to register them and see their cabins but they had no gas
for their car until the next disability check came. We were able to loan them $20.00 so they were
able to make the trip.
The third couple also lives in the same mobile home park.
Their mobile home dates back to 1966 and is in great need of repair. There was
water damage to the ceiling and walls of the house and because they also are on
a very limited income with only one of them working, they were unable to buy the
paint and other materials needed to patch things up. Using money from our
benevolence fund, we were able to help them buy the materials and also give a
hand with the repairs.
These families have so little and I have so much. Of course
I do not have an unlimited money supply, but I can afford to send my child to
camp. At the gas pump, I swipe my card and don’t question whether I have enough
cash to fill my tank. If our house needs maintenance and minor repair, we go
and get the materials that we need without debating whether there is enough
money in our bank account to cover the cost. Yet I will complain that I haven’t
gone on a vacation for years, that I have too much yard to mow, that the house
is too big for me to keep after, or that I am so busy working I don’t have time
to do something else that I would enjoy. How SILLY! I need to stop and look
around me and see how I can share the blessings that I have with others. I need
to change my attitude from “I don’t have time to deal with other people’s
problems” to “I need to take the time to listen and to help others who are
dealing with major life crises.”
Working with these families has opened my eyes to how many
around us live on a very meager income and just barely scrape along and
sometimes can’t even afford what we consider the necessities of life. I have no
idea why I have so much and others so little (life isn’t fair). However, maybe
I have been put in these people’s lives for such a time as this. If I am
available to listen to them, love them and their children, and pray for and
with them, God is able to do much more than I can ask or imagine in all of our
lives. My prayer is that I will keep my eyes and ears open to ways that I can
bless others and that I will keep my mouth shut when I am tempted to complain
about some minor inconvenience in my life. 
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