25 cents or 25 minutes?

On Monday and Tuesday I helped one of my church groups prepare and serve food to the homeless in our town. I have done this before and I wanted to help out again. With all the volunteers and donations we made 266 hot meals - 250 or so people came through so we even had left overs. They also got a sack lunch for dinner, 2 bottles of water, juice, prayer and encouragement! Wow God! At this center this happens every day of the week.

And today was the day where once a month different agencies come out to offer help to the homeless.  On Tuesday Drug & Alcohol, Indigent healthcare, MHMR, Veterans Homeless Healthcare, In the Zone for Veterans, Families in Crisis, Lone Star legal Aid, Budget Mobile Homes came out and HIV/Aids testing was done. I didn't realize that there was so much help for ones who are homeless in our area!
The sweet lady that cooked for all these people gave me a tour of the center and showed me how much food they were blessed with from the restaurants in town that give them their leftovers. I couldn't believe it! I heard that 2 churches dropped out from serving monthly or weekly and that broke my heart. As my friend showed me around she said that all they need is willing cooks. The food is there, and everything to make the meals and serve them is there, but people aren't volunteering to simply warm and serve the food. 

I wonder how many people don't know about this opportunity to help feed their neighbors because they haven't heard about it or how many others don't show up because they don't want anything to do with the homeless.

While putting together sandwiches for sack lunches I was chatting with a wise woman. She bought the food necessary to make 48 sandwiches and said, "This is my small contribution." She told me since it is only once a month that she gives she figured she could afford it. She informed me the cost for the amount of food needed to make the sandwiches was equivalent to the amount one would pay for a meal if you go out to eat. Then she said if you save a quarter from every meal when you go out to eat soon you will have enough money to buy the food for her "small donation". 

And I thought, wow! How true is that! It doesn't take much to make a difference. You can give of your time at a soup kitchen, men's/women's shelter, food pantry, or orphanage. If you don't have the time to give you can give a donation of money to any of the above examples or wherever the Lord leads you to give. 

I'm not saying that you need to rush to your local homeless shelter and volunteer either time or money, but wherever and however the Lord lays it on your heart to give do that. If you can't afford much don't worry about it, no matter how small your gift, if you give from your heart, the Lord will use that and bless not only the person receiving but you as well!

7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].  2 Corinthians 9:7

Whether you are giving 25 cents or 25 minutes do it for the Lord, not to make yourself look good or feel better. You make your Father happy when you give to those around you and when you meet a need for a brother how beautiful that is! 

"34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.’

37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’" Mathew 25:34-40