Meeting a need—Part One
Mercy requires that we learn to love others, to value their welfare more than our own!
One Christmas, a gracious lady at Cornerstone Church approached my wife, Diana, and told her she had a new ten speed bicycle she wasn’t using and she wanted to give it to someone who needed it. Diana thanked her, shook her hand and started to walk away. She hadn’t taken three steps when she was stopped by a physician who had brought a twelve year old boy to church for the very first time.
Diana didn’t know that the boy was the sole support of his mother and sisters. He had come to church that day to ask God to help him better provide for them. Specifically, he needed—you guessed it—a bicycle so he could get a paper route to help feed his family.
On Christmas Eve, our church’s custom is to take baskets filled with fruit, vegetables, turkeys and candies to families that otherwise wouldn’t have them. That very day the little boy’s mother had been going from place to place looking for food to feed her children for Christmas. When the baskets from the church arrived, she burst into tears.
Dancing For Joy
While the family danced for joy in the middle of the room, our church representative said, “We have something else for you, too. They all ran outside to see the new ten speed bicycle tied to the roof of the car. That little boy threw his arms around his mother, crying, “See, Mama? I told you Jesus would answer my prayers! And He did!”
Do you know what happiness is? It’s watching a family dance for joy at having food to eat on Christmas Day. It’s watching a twelve year old boy hug a bicycle with tears of thankfulness in his eyes.
Happy are the merciful. Happy are those who dare to show kindness in a cold, jaded world. Happy are those moved by compassion to action. These are the people who shall obtain mercy from the God of all mercy.
Source: Being Happy in an Unhappy World
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