Along the Way

It was last Thursday when I asked my husband to pick up some fresh broccoli for my green smoothies.  We really didn’t need anything else as I recall, so going to the store on his way home after his cardio rehab session wouldn’t take that long.   

Like a good soldier hubby took instruction well and did as I asked without a fuss. Could it be that he planned to add a few items to the list to make the trip worthwhile?  Besides a few canned goods somehow giant blueberry muffins, crackers and cheese also made the basket.  Alright, the muffins may have been a “suggestion” from me, but that’s all I’ll lay claim to for now. 

Hubby was only a few minutes gathering his list before approaching the checkout line. Little did he know that he would again be tested in walking out the Daily Favor “Alongside Me” challenge. (January 15^th, 2016).

When he returned home he all but had tears flowing down his cheeks. I couldn’t imagine what happened to make him so emotional, but after he shared his story I wished it would have been me in that store. 

Welcome new friends this week from:

See if your city/state/country made the list. 

New on DFB – Cape Town, Western Cape, Johannesburg, Gauteng & Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa; Maseru, Maseru District, Lesotho; Nairobi, Kenya; Suriname Dorp, Netherlands Antilles; Whakatane, Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand; Kathmandu, Bagmati Zone, Nepal; Fuengirola, Andalucía, Spain; Nanaimo, BC, Canada; Trivandrum, Kerala, India; Poole, England & Trefonen, England, United Kingdom; Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines; Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge, Lower Austria, Austria. 

USA – Greenwood, AR; Visalia, CA; Denver, CO; Port Saint Lucie, FL; Marietta, Country Club Park  & Glynco, GA; California & Columbia, MD; Hoyt Lakes, MN; Olivet, Brotmanville, Glassboro & Vineland, NJ; Jamestown, NY; Mandeville, LA; McNairy, TN; Eucha, OK; Chester, Coatesville, Feltonville, Janesville; New Castle & Philadelphia, PA; Harrisonburg, VA; Spokane, WA; Morgantown & Jakes Run, WV. 

I am so happy for your visit and hope that you come back each week to participate in the weekly challenges.  God has been faithful and we expect His favor to abound in the lives of those who chose to Journey with Jesus on Daily Favor Blog.

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Read Messages, updates on Hubby’s Heart and visit the Q & A or other sections. 

The Checkout Chase 

Let me say this, trying to get information out of my husband is like trying to get the liquid out of the bottom of a juice box – you have to really work at it!  When I asked him to share what happened, he sat down, composed himself and began to talk. (His words are indented.)

“After I made my selections I got in line. There was a young lady and a little boy about the age of ten standing behind her waiting for his turn.  His hair was sort of thick and dark and he wasn’t wearing a hat.  His gray and black short waist coat looked like it was insulated and looked pretty warm for what I could tell. 

The lady that was in front of him was with him, but it was if she really wasn’t. She had her order and paid for it, but it appeared like he was the “little man” in his household.  It was really strange. 

After paying for her groceries she left the store, the boy stepped up to pay for his two items along with a pair of insulated black gloves.  They matched his coat perfectly and had that little clip thing on the front where the wrist is. 

He had a black zipper wallet sort of what I had when I was a boy. I kept everything important in that wallet as if they were treasures that needed securing.” 

As he fed me the details I wondered where this was leading.  All I could think was why was this kid left to fend for himself on such a cold day.  Where were his parents if that girl wasn’t family?  I started to ask questions, but my husband interrupted, “Let me finish.”  (How rude!) Putting my inquiries aside, he continued. 

“He unzipped the wallet and there were a few bills, but I couldn’t see the entire contents.  Not that I was looking though.  When the boy heard the price of the gloves, $6.99, he put the money back in his wallet and said, “I’ll have to put them back.” 

“He had a really soft spoken voice … very polite. It was almost like he was afraid and embarrassed at the same time.  Then he picked up the gloves and started back into the store to return the items to the shelf. I’m not sure of the entire conversation he had with the checker, but I could see his hands were really red from the cold weather. 

“That’s OK, you can leave them here on the counter.” The cashier called out to him.  Turning around he once more pulled out the money and paid his bill for the two food items.  Trying not to be conspicuous I never saw what they were. It looked like he was kind of new to shopping on his own, but had to take on adult-like behavior. 

“What were you thinking when you saw all this?  Didn’t you do anything?” 

“When I looked at him and saw that his hands were red, I thought he’s cold and needs gloves.  After he paid his bill the woman gave him his change and said, “Wait a minute, don’t leave and I’ll be right back.”  He said OK, but he headed for the exit anyway. I guess because he didn’t understand what she meant. 

I moved into position to pay for my things. We both watched him leave when the cashier said that she was going to buy the gloves for him, but he’d be gone before she could lock the register and get her purse.  I said that’s what I was going to do too. So I told her to just put them with my purchase and I’ll pay for them and try to catch him in the parking lot.” 

The Black Gloves  

“So, what happened next?  Did anyone else see what happened?” 

“No, I don’t think they had any idea of what transpired.  Once I got to the door of the store I scanned (He actually said “scanned” like he was a superhero or something and used special powers to home in on him!) the parking lot and finally saw him standing outside of a pick-up truck. 

 

He was sweeping the snow off it with his bare hands, while the lady (that was in front of him in line) put her things in the truck.  I ran over to him and called out …” 

“Whoa, hold on there buddy.” I had to stop him in his New Balance tracks. “You ran?  You mean more like walked don’t you?”  As soon as he said ran I knew something wasn’t right. My husband doesn’t run anywhere.  His life motto is, “No sense running unless you’re being chased.” 

“Okay, I walked over to him and called out, “Hey little man.”  As he came over to me I reached in my cart, and handing him the black gloves said, “These are for you, God bless you.” 

He looked surprised and smiled saying, “Thanks … you too.” I guess he figured he saw the last of those gloves when he left them in the store.  The lady saw him but didn’t acknowledge either of us.  I don’t suppose it was a family member at all, but only a ride for the boy to the store.” 

Then what did you do? 

“I went to the car, unloaded the cart and watched them drive off.” 

“That’s it?”  I should have realized that I opened the sarcasm box and braced myself. 

“What do you want me to say?”  (Theatrics emerge …)  

“After finishing checking out I said, “Lord, I must fly” and as the song from Chariots of Fire blazed through my ears, knocking into six people I prayed healing for them as they fell at my feet … 

Making haste I saw him in the distant right of the parking lot. When I finally got to the boy gasping for breath I said, “Here lad, these are for you.  Without hesitation he responded, “No thanks, they’re not my color!” 

So he added a little here and there!  That’s what I get for asking for more details to give his real story more pizzazz.  Lesson learned … never try to glorify what God had already glorified! 

Doing What’s Right 

We’re actually making light of a not so funny situation, but in reality it only took him a few minutes to share the events.  My husband was moved to tears over the situation and in his spirit he knew he had to do something. 

As Christians we have the Spirit of God living inside us; He will move on our heart when He wants us to respond to a need.  That’s what my husband did in obedience with James 4:17 where it reads,  

“To him who knows to do good and does not do it,

to him it is a sin.” 

God put that boy in front of my husband’s eyes to see the situation and take care of it in the name of Jesus.  If he didn’t do what his heart was directing him to do, hubby would have been sinning as a believer. 

The Least of These - Clothed in Righteousness 

I asked my husband what was going through his mind during all this. He said it reminded him of the scripture where Jesus talked about giving to the poor and clothing the needy.  The same thought came to me. 

The disciples were walking with Jesus, or we can say, “Along the Journey” they stopped to ask Him some questions.  It was in a private session with the disciples that Jesus taught this principle for the “Righteous” in Matthew chapter 25 beginning in verse 34 of the Bible. 

“Then the King (Jesus) will say to those on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” 

Why would God give such a blessing and favor to “certain” people?  It was because of what they did here on Earth in the name of Jesus.  The Lord told of the acts of kindness that were done by the Righteous of God, and that they will receive favor in Heaven as well as here. 

“For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (verses 35-36) 

These statements confused the disciples because they couldn’t recall doing those things for Jesus, and He wasn’t ever in jail.  It was then the Lord explained. 

Jesus spoke -  “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (verse 40) 

When we respond to the instruction of the Holy Spirit, we are in line for God’s blessings.  Notice scripture doesn’t say that we are doing it “for” Him.   Jesus considers these acts so important that He counts it as if we were giving Him the food, clothes, water, etc.   

Blessed with Favor to Re-Bless 

In giving that boy the gloves, it was as if my husband gave them to Jesus Himself.  God made sure that two souls were put together on one path. One was to give and the other to receive.  Obedience made it possible for the blessing to be carried out the way God planned. 

There are two reasons that I can think of immediately why Jesus would show favor and blessings to the Righteous.  First, He does it to fulfill His Word. Second, God has to bless those who are willing to stay in step along the journey, because it enables Him to use that person to bless another.  

If the Holy Spirit is urging a person to do something and they refuse, there is no way God can bless them with favor because it is sinning.

Throughout their journey with Jesus, the disciples made many, many unscheduled stops when He ministered to people.  We know for a fact that “along the way” they did give to the poor, because they weren’t surprised when Judas left the room at the Last Supper.  Judas was instructed to do whatever it was quickly, so the disciples must have thought the need was urgent (we know the real story though). (See John 13:18-30)  

My point is that along the way of our journey, Jesus is going to make some stops and ask us to do something for Him. Our part is to be alert to “go and do” whatever it is He needs done.

 

This Week’s Challenge:

The Checkout Chase 

Being able to see that little boy’s face would have thrilled me knowing that God chose to use me for meeting a need, but … that didn’t happen.  The cashier had good intentions, but couldn’t carry out the action. Instead God used my husband for this particular purpose.  With her willing heart I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about how God blessed her in the future. 

In other ways the Lord showed me more favor by blessing me to be the one to share the story with you.  The “Black Gloves” story will be read, told and retold to countless numbers and God will receive all the praise! 

This week’s challenge takes us back to the checkout line.  Not everyone needs a pair of gloves, but everyone eats, so there will be no excuses for not doing this one.  How you do it will be determined by God and you. 

When you are in a food line (no matter where it is), wait for instruction on what God wants you to do.  It doesn’t have to be a place where you pay.  You may be serving someone, at a dinner or even in your own home if that’s where your journey pauses for now.  

Perhaps you may be at a church function or in the office/work lunch room; God will call on you this week to do something.  You have to look at what’s happening in front of you to see it. 

You may say, “I don’t have any money to buy anything for anyone else.” If you’re in a store line you have money.  You may have to put something back to buy something for someone else, and if that happens – look out!  You’re in position for God’s blessing and favor on the Righteous.  

Be obedient and do what you feel in your spirit – it will be God talking to you to act now.  You won’t need to worry thinking is this God or not, because the devil won’t ever have you do anything kind especially if it means you’ll be blessed for it. 

After reading this we know that not doing “good” is a sin, so we’re not going to take that path. Don’t miss out on the favor of God; be observant and ready to move.  View the “Black Gloves” checkout chase as favor in waiting for the Righteous (believers in Jesus Christ).   

Compassionately prepare your heart to hear from the Lord. Get excited as you wait for instruction along the way on your journey with Jesus. 

 

 

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Until next time, get in line for God’s favor!

 

 

“The Righteous are in line for favor. ”

Jesus Christ 

*The names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy. 

Note: The words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him no place in our lives. 

Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness. 

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