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

I was warned: Don’t go there

We don’t have a fenced in yard, so we walk our dog around our neighborhood twice a day.  Sometimes our walks will take us into the development next to ours.  Not too long ago, as the dog and I were heading down a familiar street in that other development, we spotted someone walking towards us on the opposite side of the road.  He was walking quickly, and I saw that he had a small tube holstered to his belt.

As we got closer, I recognized him as a neighbor from our development.  We’ve exchanged “hellos” a time or two, but I don’t really know him beyond that.  However, as we passed he stopped us and said something I wasn’t expecting to hear:

“Are you planning on walking down the next street?  I’ve been stopping and telling people the last few weeks…because 3 weeks ago I was walking down there and there’s a house that has a vicious boxer out roaming around.  He bit me, and I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.  I hate that they don’t put him on a leash or try to contain him.”

I told him that we don’t normally walk down that way, but I appreciated the warning.  I then realized why he had pepper spray holstered to his side.  Our dog isn’t aggressive by nature, and I wasn’t sure how he would handle a large dog charging at us with teeth bared.  Even if he stood his ground, I wasn’t looking forward to pulling the two of them apart and then looking for a way to safely exit the situation.  Although it’s been a couple of years since we walked down the road he mentioned, I now have no desire to go that way at all.  It’s best to avoid that situation altogether.

His warning reminded me of another warning, one that King Solomon gave to his sons about the influence of the paths we choose.  To help his sons remember his warning, Solomon told them this story:

Proverbs 7:6-23
At the window of my house I looked through my lattice.
I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense.
Crossing the street near her corner, he strolled down the road to her house at twilight,
in the evening, in the dark of the night.

A woman came to meet him dressed like a prostitute, having a hidden agenda.
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home.
Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
She grabs him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him,

“I’ve made fellowship offerings; today I’ve fulfilled my vows.
So I came out to meet you, to search for you, and I’ve found you.
I’ve spread coverings on my bed – richly colored linen from Egypt.
I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning.  Let’s feast on each other’s love!
My husband isn’t home; he went on a long journey.
He took a bag of silver with him and will come home at the time of the full moon.”

She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk.
He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap until an arrow pierces its liver,
like a bird darting into a snare – he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

Solomon followed his story with this warning:

Proverbs 7:24-25
Now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words from my mouth.
Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways; don’t stray onto her paths.

The young man’s downfall began…because of the path he chose.  His actions weren’t accidental.  He specifically crossed the street near her corner before strolling down the road to her house.  He even knew the best time of day to just “be in the neighborhood”.  Solomon’s warning is clear: Don’t stray onto her paths!

Solomon’s advice is just as practical today as it was for his sons.  Recent workplace statistics, presented by Forbes, found that 40% of workplace romances involve cheating on an existing partner and 50% of respondents admitted to flirting with their coworkers.  We must recognize the paths we walk and the repercussions of the choices we make.  Actively safeguard your marriage.  Don’t respond to so-called “innocent” flirtatious advances and don’t give off any signals of your own.  Do not seek a listening ear from your opposite-gender colleagues when you’re at odds with your partner.  Many workplace romances begin due to comfortability and familiarity…but if you’re already taken, you need to be wary of becoming “too comfortable” or “too familiar” with the people you spend large portions of your day with. 

The consequences of this path are going to be deadly – to you, your relationships, your integrity, your reputation, your career, and your future. 

I’m warning you – Don’t go there.

Keep Pressing,
Ken