The Gist of It
So...
I helped somebody out yesterday. I was sitting at home, relaxing with my family after a day of work, and a knock came at my door. We're not very accustomed to knocks at my house, because the person who comes over to our house the most is a 2 year old who usually announces herself by laying on the doorbell five or six times. It could have been just about anybody. Turns out it was my next-door neighbor, who introduced himself as Greg (we had the strange neighborly relationship that lies merely in nods and waves, so his name was previously unknown). He needed a car, he explained, and he had noticed that we had a least two hanging around. So, could he borrow one of ours?
Now, I have to admit that there are two parts of me (and I'm beginning to fear that there always will be). There was the piece of me that immediately recoiled at such a ludicrous idea, and questioned it, thinking I didn't even know this guy and he had been arrested just weeks ago right in the complex and, way deep inside, there was the selfish urge to say no simply because the car was mine. But there was another piece of me that spoke up, not clamoring and clawing for my attention like the previous thoughts, more like a gentle whisper. "Do it," it breathed simply, "do it." Even so, I poked my head back in the house to "double-check" with my wife (though I knew already what she was going to say, being the beautiful soul that she is) and I grabbed my keys and handed them over. "Thanks," was all he said, and that was all he needed to.
I don't know what your reactions are at this point in the story. I could be called an idiot, and justifiably so; a rube, a patsy. Or I could be called generous, or kind. I relay this story both to be funny (the whole thing was a bit unique) and to make a point that I've been itching to since our discussion below. In my posts, including the previous one, "Is Abortion Biblical?", I have strove to discuss issues as gently and with as much humility as possible. From the responses I received, it seems as if I have failed to attain that goal, to some respect. I have been called judgmental, uncaring, unloving, idiotic, etc...I have to admit, that I was truly surprised at some of these comments. I know that in discussing an emotional issue such as abortion I am bound to get some incensed feedback, and yet I was hoping, because I had limited the breadth of my treatment (i.e. I had chosen not to discuss whether abortion was wrong, but whether the Bible spoke positively about abortion) that I would receive constructive comments about my argumentation, the use of the hebrew, the lapses in logic I might have missed. Unfortunately, it came down to drawing lines in the sand and name calling. This simply should not be.
My point is this: what I did for this fellow last night, or what God did through me, is infinitely more important than any abortion discussion on this blog, or any other blog. I probably won't change the laws of the land by ranting about them over and over again in my blog. I d
oubt many people will "see the light" if I turn my blog into a crusade to rid my readers of villiany, sin, and bad logic. If abortion was ever to become illegal, I doubt the Supreme Court will begin their opinion with "you see, Simon said..." And yet what I did for this gentlemen last night will echo into eternity. I only hope that our genorosity gave him pause, and my greatest wish is that one day when he comes by again he will ask, "why are you so trusting and giving when the rest of this world folds in on itself like a selfish only child?" And I will have an answer for him; in fact, I'll tell him the greatest story ever told.
"The only thing we take with us is love and the things done in love." With my dying breath, this will be my plea. I remember when I heard that, from a man whose life and love for the Lord I someday hope to emulate. I remember thinking at the time, "I have to remember that." And I have, both in my mind and, though sometimes sporadically, in my life as well. May it be our goal as the universal church. I cannot make abortion illegal, but I can love someone I meet who is living in its aftershock or struggling with that choice. I cannot make Greg a better person, but I can love him in generosity and introduce him to the One who makes all men perfect. Someone commented that if I believe babies are being murdered, why am I not storming the white house or supreme court? Simply put, that is not my place. I have made up my mind to effect change in the small circle of my life, with the knowledge that our love for others will ripple outward, concentric circles with the ability to multiply beyond our small and seemingly insignificant circle.
This is the brilliant simplicity of the Christian life. Love the one you're with (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young ring a bell?). Husbands, love your wives. Wives, love your husbands. Both of you, love your children. Christians, love your neighbors. Church, love the world. The rest will fall into place.
By the way, Greg showed up at about nine p.m., and asked if he could borrow the car for longer. I said of course, but I asked him to bring it back by eight in the morning. This morning, at 7:55, he knocked on the door with the keys to the car. I was shocked when he showed up on time. I say this because I don't want you to get the idea that I'm an incredibly generous and amazing person. Frankly, I had doubts he was going to return the car at all. He was moving out of next door. Why couldn't he just take the car wherever he was going? At the same time, even if he had taken the car, I would have had the most beautiful and inexplicable satisfaction that comes when you know you are in the midst of God's will. This is what makes me a Christian. Everything else is just words...
posted by Team Kerbel @ 4:08 PM
37 Comments:
What you did was very generous. You took a leap of faith and was rewarded. I hope this young man was touched enough to pass along the kindness.
The only way to be filled up with God's love is to pour it out. You exemplify this. Thought provoking post. Thank you for it.
You make me ashamed of things I haven't done this year and should have for people who asked for my help.
Simon, thank you so much for sharing this story with us. It sounds to me like Jesus came to your door and knocked, he asked for a car and you gave it to him.
Matthew 25:31-46
Never mind the critics...everyone is entitled to his opinion, of course. It's just that not every opinion is as well thought-out as yours.
Simon,
I too am guilty of the double thoughts before generosity. We find a great opportunity to serve, but get clouded looking for a deserving recipient. We did not deserve a savior, nor do we deserve the love that God provides so abundantly. Thanks for sharing your honest thoughts, and I pray that we all may learn a little love that only God can provide.
Simon, good story and good point. What you say about loving others and the simple things we do, rather than our arguements or soapboxes, making the difference is totally true.
hey, can i borrow 100 bucks, i swear i'll bring it right back before 8 am tomorrow.
Did you give him the "best" of your two cars?
LOL - kidding
A humbling post to read, thanks for sharing.
love thy neighbour!
where i live, doors used to be open all the time and people walked in and out of each others homes all the time without even knocking..
borrowing cars was normal..in fact people left their keys in the cars..
but this was a very very long time ago.
At the Confusionist Church we're currently recruiting people of all faiths to create a new world order, eh, I mean world peace. Interested?
hey can I borrow your house, I'll need you out by noon tomorrow....
You didn't even ask him what he needed it for? He could have been going out to get a hooker, or an abortion, or to kill someone and he didn't want it traced back to himself.
Simon, I have that same dual personality. Sometimes the whisper wins, but sometimes it doesn't.
Liked your "Simon says" comment. :)
And this is the crux: "I have made up my mind to effect change in the small circle of my life, with the knowledge that our love for others will ripple outward, concentric circles with the ability to multiply beyond our small and seemingly insignificant circle." It's really all we can do. It's how God, Himself, chose to change the world.
Don't be daunted by the critics. Keep putting truth out there.
I agree with tb54 and jason. Suppose he had an accident and hurt or killed someone? No one spiritually directed you to at least ask to see his license? Who would resurrect your insurance after it was cancelled?
I appreciate your goodness and generosity, but, I'm not going to turn the other cheek and proffer someone my bank account information just for the asking. Where will you draw the line?
can i borrow your car too? i want to go run over puppies and kittens but i don't want my new car to get all dented and dirty with the guts of baby animals.
For the record: He told me that he was moving some boxes to his mom's house because he was moving out of his girlfriend's house next door. I felt that that was enough information. In other words, I trusted him. Implicit trust is something that has long been forgotten in our society. I don't imply that we should trust everyone we meet, because there are plenty of people in the world eager to "take advantage" of you. However, I trust people until they give me a reason not to. And what is our role as Christians on this earth? Isn't it to be taken advantage of? Paul said of those who were going to law against another, "why not let yourselves rather be defrauded?" Jesus said "give to those who ask of you, hoping for nothing in return." I don't take this blindly, as I won't give a drunkard money to buy alcohol, or won't give someone who knocks on my door money for a new abortion clinic. But I do take it seriously, as seriously as I can, always balancing that scripture with the rest, so that I may be responsible with what God has given me. If you think it's naive, or blind, look again at Paul's words. Be defrauded rather than sue a brother? But I am in the right here! Never you mind, says Paul. Give up that right and lose so that Jesus may be glorified...
I miss that feeling. It's like, for a second, you understand what it is all about.
With this entry, you are DEFINITELY going on my blogroll, and I hope anyone that stops by my site will follow it to yours.
Yes this was such a great post foolish Simon. I have loved all of your post since I found you on BE. I linked you up right away on my blog hoping that others will find their way to your blog too.
=oD
Right on, Simon. I remember a guy I worked with... he was so naive and generous, one time he totally got taken advantage of by a girlfriend and the guys at the office were openly ridiculing him. I took him aside and told him he may have to get some wisdom along the way, but being taken advantage of is better than becoming cynical and hard. It's not easy... I speak from experience. I'm the person who frequently has a "one in a million" thing happen...
Anyways, back in the old days only one or two folks on a street had a pickup truck (hard to believe, I know). Well, I had a great one-ton International 4WD and folks were always borrowing it. One time, this guy took it to get a load of gravel for his driveway and, when he got back, he was laughing and telling me it would hardly steer because the front wheels were barely on the road. I was aghast. He left and I got down on my hands and knees and inspected the suspension -- the overloading of the truck had totally blown out the leaf springs. This, in turn, jeopardized my ability to get to work and get my wood in for the winter (now we're talking survival). So, I had to come up with a different way of being generous, without letting my family down. After that experience, I let anyone use my truck, as long as I accompanied it. It actually worked well for them, because they got another laborer and I got to spend time with the person and get to know them better.
As far as lending money, we’ve been burned on that pretty bad, so we have a policy: We only lend as much as we’re willing to lose.
In some cases, we simply say “no” because it would be counter-productive or downright harmful to that individual, regardless of any bad that might come our way.
Matthew 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
I remember a time (not much different today) when we had nothing in the house to eat. I went to the mail box and found inside a $20 bill (back in the days when $20 would buy something, does that date me?) I was so thrilled! I took the $20 spent $10 on gas so that I could go to work and then drove clear accross town tio give the other $10 to a family who was struggling as we were.. The expression "give till it hurts" not true it never hurts, it always feels good! Good (God) for you! In His Name whose I am and who I serve. Dennis
Everyone has to use his or her own judgement in a situation, and it sounds like to me you did the right thing. I think that sometimes we are tested to see what our actions will be. This reminds me of a story.
When I was a single mom, I had a lot of financial struggles. Christmas was upon us and I was short on money for gifts. It's a hard time of year to be without and I was feeling low. One day I went to the mailbox and there was a card for my family. Someone had typed my name and address on the computer, in green holiday print, and pasted it to the envelope. Inside was a beautiful card and a hundred dollar bill! I was speechless and humbled. There was no signature, just a "Merry Christmas!" in the same typed lettering. At the time, I was dating a man and when he saw it he was incredibly cynical, saying that no one gives a gift like that without expecting something in return. I didn't agree and felt that it was a beautiful gesture from a loving angel. Ironically, I used some of it to buy gifts for this man's young children....and as his attitude never changed, our relationship didn't last after the holiday.
That gift really impacted my life. I do whatever I can to help people in need...and sometimes that has nothing to do with money.
I think it was very kind and generous what you did, but....
While I'm a real pushover, and my kids say I'm the most stupidly trusting person on the planet, I'm still going to go with the insurance angle other commenters have mentioned.
I believe your actions were in line with the way God wants us to treat each other, however I also believe that when God had that behavior in mind, He never counted on lawyers and the auto insurance industry. I'm not trying to be silly, I'm just stating what I've experienced post-car accident. If he had gotten into an accident in your car, you and your family would be in for a financial nightmare you can't even imagine.
If the knock had come on my door, I think I would have rather given him money for a cab. But that's just me... I'm not knocking what you did. And thanks for writing such a though provoking post.
That's a fantastic story. It shames me to say I could never do that. Then again, I've had my car stolen before, so perhaps it is just the PTSD on that one that stops me.
I am not particularly religious. More spiritual than anything. But I believe in the "Pay it Forward" concept. Hope Greg does....because that sort of generosity needs to grow and grow until it takes over the dark parts of the world.
I will try very very hard to keep your story in mind the next time I am asked to do something that pushes my limits.
And I will, in my own way, pray that Greg didn't borrow your car to commit a crime. That can give you a line of red tape and deep mess that you might never get out of.
I'm back.
I couldn't help but remember, in reading all the "be careful"s and "what were you thinking"s, when Jesus told his disciples to go into town and bring back an unridden donkey they'd find in a certain place. He told them that if anyone asked what they were doing in taking the donkey, they were to answer, "The Master has need of it." They did as He said and brought the donkey back. You know the story, of course. It illustrates perfectly the idea of walking in the Spirit. Sometiems God nudges us to trust another person, sometimes He gives us enough discomfort that we know we're to be cautious. We can't make a hard and fast rule about what's prudent in a situation like that, because to do so would be to erase God from the equation. My aim in life is to be so intune with those whispers that I can differentiate between "left" and "right," "stay" and "go."
I know you listen, Simon. And, see? It turns out you heard correctly.
This is sooo random and funny, but if it was the Red CRX that you let him borrow... wow... i wish you were my neighbor LOL. I wish I could be so trusting ...but I don't live in the greatest neighborhood so it would never happen. Always good to see a good soul out there.
Simon said... I trust people until they give me a reason not to.
Didn't you say he was arrested previously? That fact alone would have contributed to my doubt and worry. I guess I would have played the "what if" game in my head to the point that I would have been able to justify saying a resounding "no" to that guy.
You, however, heard this silent, quiet voice and listened to it. I find that because the guy probably used it for what he said he was going to and because he was considerate enough to return it on time, it was no coincidence that he came and asked you.
The Lord saw this man needed a car, perhaps to enter in to a new stage in his life, and the Lord led him to a Christian that would practice some unique generosity. My hat is off to you Simon. Clearly, you helped the Lord further His work with this man.
I consider myself a christion but not overly religious. I don't know the Bible inside and out and I don't go to church regularly. But i feel that doing things like what you did for that poor guy is better than anything you could ever do. We need to be there for each other in this world. When it comes right down to it, people are all we've got. I say, kudos to you, you are a good person from where I stand.
Very nice blog, hard to come by these days,
If you have a chance, can you visit my how to play guitar site
It has all guitar related stuff.
Thanks
Hello,
I am searching for fresh information
for my cc Infopage, 30,000 daily updated Information Pages about all kind of subjects.
It might interest you to know that your blog has been visited and has been read. I hope you enjoy your "Blogging".
I wish you all the luck I can, keep the good work going!
Kind regards,
Jos
Today's News From & About Google
If you would just take your time to know your way around, you could discover
Just go to Your inbox and Look for your Newsletter publication from the 3 Marketeers Club!
The Gist of It was what caught my attention. I was just out browsing around today looking for information on coolest kid in california, and happened accross your blog. Although it's not completely related to coolest kid in california, it certainly made me stop and ponder. Thanks for the great read Blogger...I'll be back.
I was thinking Blogger, I was checking out sources of info on the coolest kid in the world and I stumbled across your post about The Gist of It that you have a great site here. I'm personally working hard at developing an online business around the coolest kid in the world and I'd like to share this site with some of my own subscribers. Thanks for letting me stop by Blogger...I'll be back.
Just dropped in to read your blog. We are reading what others have to say and are introducing ourselves as well. We are intoducing The new Holy Bibles King James Versions and New Living Translations and especially The New Children's Bibles on DVD and invite you to stop by and visit us at: **BibleMediaDvd.Com**
We hope you don't mind our comment on your site and do so repectfully.
Thank you and God Bless.
According to recent news, the erectile dysfunction afflicted elderly people in Brazil were administered with free viagra and as a consequence they were miraculously cured of impotency. Doesn’t this news appear utterly surprising to you? But the man who is well aware of all the information on cheap viagra would never be surprised on hearing the news that the distribution of free viagra among the elderly Brazilian people suffering from sexual dysfunction has cured them of the deadly malady. But if you are not so fortunate to get hold of free Viagra, then you can buy viagra from an authentic source and cure your erectile dysfunction. The need of the hour is to browse through Viagra online, procure Viagra and treat your erectile dysfunction. But before you buy viagra online, it is necessary to consult the physician on your erectile dysfunction and take his necessary recommendations to treat the disease.
40inchplus extremeasses asses ass nice ass big ass sexy ass teen ass hot ass perfect ass big black ass big asses teen tight ass round ass huge ass nice asses hot teen ass round asses hot asses big butts nice butt big butt perfect butt cute butt nice butts cute butts perfect butts roundandbrown black pussy black booty black sex black ass black porn black tits black boobs black sluts black anal black blowjobs black butts black butt ebony porn ebony sex ebony teen ebony pussy ebony teens ebony ass ebony booty ebony anal ebony tits ebony blowjobs interracial sex interracial porn interracial cuckold streetblowjobs blowjob blowjobs blowjob clips teen blowjobs teen blowjob blowjob galleries young blowjobs blowjobs gallery young blowjob street blowjob blow job blow jobs massive blow job street blow jobs blow job gallery teen blow jobs teen blow job cumshot cumshots facial cumshots vaginal cumshots internal cumshots teen cumshots handjob handjobs hand job hand jobs oral sex oral penis sucking voyeur teen voyeur voyeur sex wild sex allsitesaccess porn sites reality porn sites sex sites reality porn reality sex reality sex sites xxx xxx porn xxx sex
Post a Comment
<< Home