Gifts

On Valentine's Day, Daniel and I went out to dinner at a restaurant we both like. After we got our food another customer walked over to us, said "God bless you," laid some money on the table and walked away. Daniel and I were so touched by this man's generosity that we sat for a minute unable to say anything. We felt so grateful and humbled that he would pay for our dinner that, when we were finally able to speak, it was all we could talk about for the rest of the night. One thing we learned is that receiving a gift makes you feel like giving one.

I want to give, but find that I am often too proud to receive. I read an article a while ago that illustrates this idea. A tired looking young mother boarded a crowded bus after a long day of running errands. She had two fussy children in tow and her arms were full of packages. An elderly man sitting near the front of the bus stood up and offered the woman his seat. She said she was "alright" and didn't need the seat, thinking he was in greater need of the seat than she was. He insisted and she finally relented and sat down with her children on her lap. The point of the article was this: to not receive a gift or service that is freely offered, is to deny another the blessings of giving and serving.

Daniel and I have no idea why that stranger at the restaurant found us deserving of such kindness, but we were thankful recipients of it. Actually, it felt as if someone, who doesn't know us, was saying, "You're good people." God bless that man.