How far would a man go to show his love for a woman? I
know that’s a loaded question isn’t it?
Actually, love was the farthest thing from my mind when I asked my husband to escort me to an all-women’s event. I suspect love won out though from the story I’m about to share.
It all began with my husband when he was in a cardio
rehab session last week. Someone was about
to extend a random act of favor and I was glad to be the recipient.
Welcome new friends this week from:
See if your city/state/country made the list.
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Maharashtra, India; Dhaka, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh.
USA – Coal Hill & Springdale, AR; Johnson, FL; Powder
Springs & Roswell, GA; Aiea, HI; Asheboro, Mount Pleasant & Kannapolis,
NC; Fargo, ND; Celoron, NY; New Kingstown & Sugar Grove, PA; The Woodlands,
TX; Omak, WA.
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
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Give Me a Reason
It was the annual “Heart of a Woman” type silent auction
fund raiser for the cardiac rehabilitation center at the hospital. Tickets for
the event didn’t come cheap either; to give you an estimate of pricing, a
dinner for eight auctioned at around $525.00.
The event wasn’t open to the general public, but only to
an exclusive mostly affluent circle of individuals (112 to be precise excluding the
speaker and servers).
My hubby informed me that I had been invited and questioned if I was
interested in attending the luncheon. He
told the lady that extended the invitation that I probably wouldn’t be, but he would ask anyway.
Upon hearing the details I quickly grabbed the
opportunity. This would be the “airing
or outing” that Kathy from last week’s story was referring to in the parking
lot at Walmart. Remember that incident?
This event preceded the “Someone Loves Me” caper which took place on the same
day. (I’m really backing up three hours
before that to 11:30 a.m.)
No, accepting the offer wasn’t to prove my husband wrong,
but it was an opportunity to mingle with actual people … ladies was a bonus. He wasn’t sure if I should go not having been
to an event like this in the past. I
understood his point, but something else persuaded me.
 |
| Beautiful hanky quilt auctioned! |
The reasons for not attending were weighing against
me.
It’s been said that women may show their
claws when it comes to “shopping” (and the items for auction were amazing!),
but few scratch you, unlike my feline friends that I care for on a daily basis. Mind you cats do make great
conversationalists, but they are so biased! (Prejudice in favor that is usually unfair.)
Reason two for not going was that I wouldn’t know anyone. Well, that was his argument, but it would be a
way to hook up with friends I never met.
So that thought didn’t stick either.
Did I have to pay for the ticket? It did seem rather dumb
to purchase a ticket to a luncheon even for charity when there probably wouldn’t
be anything for me to eat. That one almost
got me, but I wasn’t through. After all, I wouldn't be going mainly for the food.
A doctor bought the ticket and this random act of “favor”
was extended to me. Plus there may be an
article or life lesson in it! I’m in … let the
auction begin.
Hubby Take a Seat
We arrived at a huge church that has a separate campus
for such community functions. My husband
was going to drop me off and remain in the car until it was finished. I insisted he come inside due to the cold
weather and hang out at the back of the building if it made him more
comfortable.
It only took me one eye sweep around the room to see I
was WAY underdressed. Thank you Lord
that hubby didn’t wear shorts as usual.
Sure I looked nice, but my loving spouse failed to get
the details on this being a “dressy bling” occasion. My hot pink Ocean Pacific coat wasn’t their
idea of pearls from the Pacific, if you know what I mean.
Taking on the “at ease” military stance, he insisted on
waiting by the door as the bouncer just in case (his words …) “things got rough”. Rough … on a Baptist campus … run by the
hospital, with Catholic kids serving?
Having respect for my husband who isn’t a wuss of a man,
but seriously … the roughest thing there would be the roughage in the salad!
Besides the servers, he was the only male in the room. Suddenly the keynote speaker poked his head
around the corner and came over to talk to him.
Instantly invisible male bonding took place, and before long hubby was at
our table in a room full of women!
“OK, I’ll sit down but I won’t eat because I didn’t pay for this seat.”
He made it clear that sitting was somehow under protest. While pulling out his chair we noticed one
other lone hubby at a table beside us. I’m still not sure if it was the keynote speaker, the other husband or me that persuaded him, but was glad to see
a familiar face I could talk to during the event.
Chocolate Never Disappoints
“How are you ladies doing?” said the male server as
he filled our glasses with water. “Good.” Answered my husband, causing the
young man to reverb … “and man.”
Hubby seemed right at home at our table gathering
and why not, he knew most of the ladies from the cardio rehabilitation center!
As I looked for things to write about, he chatted with everyone
that came by to say hello. How nice. There was only one thing to do; get
acquainted with a soul friend of mine – chocolate. I scooped up the candy kisses along with a few chocolate
hearts and began eating.
Favor Found Me
The menu was served and each of us had a beautiful dish
of food plated before us. My husband
leaned over to me and whispered, “I’m not
eating if that man over there doesn’t.” Obviously the other gentleman didn’t have such
issues and dove into the meal.
I buttered a roll and was picking at the fruit salad with
my fork, when a woman from the kitchen came from behind us to bend over for a
hug. It was the head of the cardio rehab
center who had volunteered to help organize the food end of the event.
“Would you like a plate of vegetables.” she asked. Turning toward her I
said, “That would be very kind.” A few minutes later she brought out a special dish. This kindness was favor geared just for me! Favor found me; I didn’t go looking for it,
nor did I say anything to anyone at the table about being a vegetarian.
My husband delighted in my favor, because he devoured two
plates of delicious food he didn’t pay for or prepare. It was a little hard to get caught up in his
joy seeing he spilled his icy tea down the front of him! You can imagine the look on my face as I
tried not to burst out laughing or scold him like a five year old.
While trying to cover his shirt with his coat he looked
at me sheepishly and said, “I’m not used
to drinking without a straw!” Oh
bother! Maybe I should get him a sippy
cup.
Random Acts of Favor
While I was researching for an article the Lord reminded
me of His time spent with the disciples over a three year span. Along the way they often stopped what they
were doing and performed what we might refer to as “random acts of kindness.” That’s not exactly how Jesus saw it.
We know that these events took place from something Jesus
said to Judas before He was crucified.
The Lord was referring to the betrayal, but the disciples thought He was
talking about an act of favor (kindness).
"Random" meaning they weren’t scheduled, but always were in God’s
agenda. They were so used to Jesus doing
random acts (which included healing but was not limited to that sole deed),
that the disciples didn’t blink an eye when Judas was ordered to do whatever it was “quickly.”
“What you do, do quickly. But no one at the table knew
for what reason He (Jesus) said this to him (Judas). For some thought, because
Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, buy those things we need
for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor.” (John 13: 27b-29 NKJV)
Although the Lord’s actions were kind, many were specific
acts of favor geared toward a certain individual or group. The Apostle John reminds us that there were
so many stops along their journey for doing such things that they were too numerous
to record.
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did,
which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself
could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” (John 21:25 NKJV)
Favor Kindness is a Fruit
You may not think that having someone give you an expensive ticket or having veggies served on a pretty plate rank up there with “favor”, but it does. Both of these things were more than just random acts of kindness.
Lots of
people do nice things, but not all are recipients of God’s favor. There is a
reason for that.
Scripture tells us that each believer is equipped with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We receive it upon the gift of salvation. However, the sad thing is that many don’t know they possess it or that God wants us to reap favor when sown.
Kindness is a fruit or outward act that we are to experience on a regular basis (in both giving and receiving). The world sees it as acts of kindness or being nice; God sees it as favor fruit.
“But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, KINDNESS, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)
This
Week’s Challenge:
Distributor of Targeted Favor
When we respond to the Holy Spirit in being kind to others, we zero in or target favor toward the individual He had directed us to at a specific time.
Our challenge this week is two-fold.
First - The next time you do something kind for someone, be thankful the Lord allowed that person to receive the favor fruit through you His earthly distributor. Don’t mistake this as “It’s my nature to be kind and even the unsaved would do this.” There’s more to it than that, so recognize the difference. It’s favor seed sown.
Also, in doing so it is a witness that the fruit of the Spirit is functioning inside you to the point it is now productive! Well done you! Here is where favor sown gives way to favor being reaped as a harvest.
Second - My fellow modern day disciples, as you walk with Jesus, God may have you stop in the middle of the “journey road” to do something for Him. Besides following through with your instructions, learn to expect Random Acts of Favor to fall on you, because you are a distributor of favor for the Lord.
The law of reaping what you sow includes favor seed.
I doubt the lady
with the veggies got up thinking about me that morning, but what I do know is
that she is a woman of God who is always ready to grant favor through service. It is foremost on her mind every day, and
that’s why it’s easy for her to journey with Jesus whenever and wherever He
leads.
I am grateful that I was on the receiving end this time! Plus it showed a room full of people that “somebody”
loved me beyond embarrassment. Thank you
Honey, you were a good sport!
If this article has encouraged or helped you please
consider sharing it by using the social media icons provided at the end of this
post.
Until
next time, be ready to do random acts of favor!
“Prepare to operate in Random Acts of Favor.”
Jesus Christ
*Unless
noted, 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.
What’s New This Week: Click
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by:
Robert Strand
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Scripture
reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.Image credit: Google Images or Dreamstime Creative Common License if not specified.
Image: Kindness Mark Twain Quote Challenge
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