All he had to give

Today I met a man who quite literally tried to give all he had. As he sat down from lunch, I walked over him to sit by him. We introduced ourselves and started talking. The conversation naturally turned to the small, almost empty little pepper grinder he had on the table. "You came prepared with food seasonings today I see." I said. He proudly picked it up and showed it to me, " You see it says mixed peppercorns?" He asked excitedly. " I do see that, and it looks delicious!" I replied. Without thought he stood up, I asked him where he was going, well to get you a plate so you can try some of my peppercorn on the food!" He said, as if I should have already expected that. After kindly declining a lunch plate, he then tried to open his peppercorn jar to share a few with me, and "Maybe I could try them on my supper later." Once again, I insisted he keep it, and save it for himself. As the conversation switched from the pepper grinder and continued I noticed he kept looking at his dessert. Today, he happened to be served two small donuts. Again, without second thought, he wrapped a donut in a napkin and handed to me, "Keep this." He said. I tried to decline, and insist he keep his food, since that was probably the only meal he ate today, but he insisted. So, I took the donut, which at this point the icing had melted off of in the napkin. As I hugged him and got up to leave, He stopped me, this time, pepper grinder in hand again. "Would you like to take this?" He asked. My eyes filled with tears. I promised him I'd see him soon, and I would try it then, but I wouldn't take it. He smiled a big grin, and said that would do. Then he picked up his belongings, which was all of one shirt, a blanket, and that pepper grinder and walked off.

I know it seems like a silly story, but this man literally wanted to give me one of the few things he owned. He didn't have to think about it, he just wanted to give to make those around him happy. How often do we do that? I know I don't do it near enough. It's so easy to find ourselves selfishly holding onto things, or keeping more than we need, and finding ways to rationalize it. Yet here was a man with nothing, who wanted to give everything. It reminded me of the love and mercy that is poured out on us daily from God. He wants to give us everything, yet so often we are caught up in our own selfishness, and hanging onto things of no value, we can't let go to find the things that are of value. How much happier would we be if we gave instead of received? How much better of a place would this world be if we all gave all we had, and I don't mean money. I mean love, time & prayers. I mean the old clothes and toys just cluttering up your house. Maybe then we could work hand in hand with the angels among us. Maybe then someone else would see the angels among us through YOU.