I have a friend...

I HAVE A FRIEND, HER NAME IS TERESA.

 

Have you ever had a friend that you admired and wanted to be like? I have that friend and her name is Teresa.  Her mother taught her by example.  If I’m telling the story right, her mother worked a second job for 28 years and never spent the money on herself.  She spent it all on others who were in need.  What an incredible testimony!

My friend watched her mother give back all of her life.  I have always heard not to teach your children to share, but to give.  I have raised my children that way and just witnessed my son give away his favorite winter coat to a friend that liked it.  Sometimes that is hard to watch(when I just bought it)but so worth it for the recipients of the good will.  Your efforts are always rewarded.  Can you imagine how many people Teresa’s mom helped by her 28 years of giving back to the community?

The Bible tell us to help ease others’ burdens and to share our food and clothes…..

 

Isaiah 58:6-7 ERV “I will tell you the kind of day I want---a day to set people free.  I want a day that you take the burdens off others.  I want a day when you set troubled people free and you take the burdens from their shoulders.  I want you to share your food with the hungry.  I want you to find the poor who don’t have homes and bring them into your own homes.  When you see people you have no clothes, give them your clothes!  Don’t hide from your relatives when they need help.”

 

We have an opportunity today to minister to a family for Christmas.  Pulling together our resources, we took them out to eat at Cracker Barrel and then on to use their gift cards at WalMart.  My prayer is that the waitresses, the cashier at the store and the people standing in line felt the love of Jesus seeing someone making a difference.  To me the most wonderful gift of all, is spending time with one another.  Watching my daughter help one of the children at the store, cutting up pancakes, holding the baby, makes me wonder if she will be like Teresa’s mom giving so unselfishly her whole life.  My daughter posted on Facebook how thankful she was to spend the day with the family.  That filled up my love tank to the top.  The Bible tells us that we may never know when we are entertaining an angel.  I can’t get over the look on the lady’s face behind us in line at the store.  She thanked us three times for helping the family.  I know she was blessed by my friends generosity.  Not only did Teresa get the children gift cards, but she bought groceries as well.  Teresa is just like her momma and when I grow up, LOL, I want to be just like her.

 

Hebrews 13:1-3 ERV “Continue loving each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Always remember to help people by welcoming them into your home.  Some people have done that and have helped angels without knowing it.  Don’t forget those who are in prison.  Remember them as though you were in prison with them.  And don’t forget those who are suffering. Remember them as though you were suffering with them.”

 

When I’m around Teresa, I want to share the Good News and I hope people see God’s grace in me.

 

Acts 20:24 ERV “I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I finish my work.  I want to finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do---to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.”

 

Prayer:  Dear Jesus, help us to see past our own wants to help others’ needs.