Giving Ourselves

The nature of some of my work is in showing people the difference between helping vs. enabling them.  This week I was reminded of a very important component to helping.

In this day and age, we are quick to write a check or even give a few dollars to someone on the street.  But it isn't always money they need.  Oh, they may want it, and they may take it, but it's not what they need.

Helping Hands Gospel Mission has a policy of not giving gas cards to people without a valid driver's license and proof of insurance.  We don't want to encourage anyone to break the law, and both of those are law in Wisconsin.  Someone I have been working with for a bit asked for gas.  She couldn't afford to even register her car.  I could have offered her cab fare, but instead chose to offer to take her to the store myself.  (Trust me, it was divine leading and not thoughtfulness on my part.)

Now you have to know me to understand that shopping is not my passion.  I typically run to the store on the spur of the moment, doing as many things as possible in the shortest amount of time when there are the fewest number of people in the store.  I have been known to fill a cart and be back on the road in record time.  So taking the time to schedule a trip to the store, and wait for someone who had limited resources to figure out how to purchase some necessities was not part of my game plan.

I realized something in that process.  We give too much money and not enough of ourselves.  This person knew the sacrifice to give her my time, and I knew in that moment that today's world is too disconnected.  We text, we tweet, we Facebook, but we don't give people time.  Our presence has the same power of Jesus'.  It's through our time and presence that we touch their hearts and lives.

While at the store doing some of my own shopping, I ran into someone from church and had a wonderful chat, catching up like you don't get to in the hustle and bustle of a Sunday morning.  On my way out I ran into a woman from the assisted living home I do Sunday services at and chatted briefly.  This was the first time we were able to connect beyond the superficial, "Hi, are you coming to services today?"  For the first time she knew that I knew who she was, and that I cared about her as a person.  I'm curious to see if she decides to come to church services now, or how she might greet me when I'm visiting the home.

Oh, and the person I took shopping in the first place.  She asked me to pick her up for church Sunday morning.  It all makes me wonder how many divine appointments I've missed by producing quantity vs. quality!