Jumper cable generosity

There’s a gas station I always stop at on my way home from church.  They have the lowest price per gallon in the area, so this is one of those times in life where convenience and need match up nicely.  On the Sunday before Christmas, I was filling my truck and minding my own business when the voice of a woman I did not know called out to me:

“Excuse me, sir, could you give us a jump?”

They were at the next pump over and had apparently just filled up their tank, only to have their car fail to start when they turned the key.  Without hesitation, I agreed to help.  After filling my tank, I pulled up so our cars were nose-to-nose.  We connected the cables and while we waited for their battery to charge, I noticed their daughter reading in the back seat.  I empathized with them because I understand the parental frustration of being in a situation like this. 

I mentioned we were coming back from church, and we talked about that a little.  We talked about the trouble the car had been giving them, and when they said they didn’t know a reliable mechanic, I was able to recommend ours.  After a couple of tries, their car started up, we wished each other Merry Christmas, and both families went on their way.

As we drove off, I was hit with a couple of thoughts… I should have invited them to our church!  A Christmas Service would have been such an easy invite.  I didn’t even think of it (to my shame, for which I kicked myself).  I was more focused on meeting their immediate need and wasn’t thinking eternal-big-picture in that moment.  So, I accepted that our interaction was positive and something God can use as a steppingstone for someone else to make that invite in the future.

The second thought that hit me was that giving them a jump didn’t really cost me anything, except 10-15 minutes of my time.  After we passed a charge from our battery to their battery, our truck’s alternator did its job of making up the difference.  Our battery was recharged back to where it was before the jump in the remaining 20 minutes it took us to drive home.

Helping them really didn’t cost me anything…but to those who received the jump, the help meant everything – the ability to get unstuck, keep moving, and take care of their own family.

Once I realized this, God brought these two verses to mind:

Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

Proverbs 11:25
A generous person will be enriched,
and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water.

Being generous towards others typically costs less than we think it will.  Often, it costs us nothing but a little bit of our time.  We can change the direction of a person’s day…even their life…when we provide the little “jump” they need to get out of their stuck situation. 

God says we should be working for the good of all, giving what they need…even if it’s a simple as a drink of water.  God also says we’ll be enriched for doing it, so don’t worry about what the cost will be to step into another’s life.  Look for the opportunity to do so, and then “jump” in.

Keep Pressing,
Ken