Do you have a little change?

"Give a little change today? Do you have a little change?"

He kept calling out to the passers by, of which all of them did. We all passed by this man perched on the ledge of a mid-town Manhattan building. My group and I walked past him as he held out the clear Dixie cup and called

"Give a little change today?"

I averted my eyes. 

I am ashamed to say it, but that's how I've been programmed. What then goes through my mind is why, how and when and all sorts of unanswered questions. 

Guilt because my eyes avert, and I walk past. 
Then my group stood right in front of his space on the sidewalk while we waited for the tour bus. 

"Give a little change today?"
"Do you have a little change?"

The bus hadn't come yet. 
It was sure taking its sweet time. 

Finally, it dawned on me that this time didn't have to be like all the others I've encountered where someone needed money. 

Someone without a home, probably.

I decided that yes, I did have change. That part was very true. 
I decided that this was a door of opportunity for me. 

A different type of door than I've ever encountered, but a door nonetheless.

"Give a little change today?"

And, I opened my wallet and dug out my change.

I walked over to this man sitting on the ledge in downtown Manhattan and I looked into his eyes and smiled.  I dropped the change into his clear Dixie cup.

He thanked me from the bottom of his heart, while mine changed just a little bit that day.

Blessings to you today friend.
May we all be the change, just a little bit.

~Anne

Linking up with the fabulous writers at Five Minute Friday for five minutes of free writing. No fancy edits. Just writing from the heart. Head on over to katemotaung.com for all the details and to join in! This week's prompt is "door".

The fruit of lips as offering

Lord, sometimes I don't feel like thanking you. My flesh is so weak.



My God says to me,

Peace, peace to him who is far off [both Jew and Gentile] and to him who is near! I create the fruit of his lips, and I will heal him [make his lips blossom anew with speech in thankful praise]. Isaiah 57:19

God says He is the one who creates the fruit of my lips in the first place. He is the one who created me and He is the one who deposits in me the ability to praise. I don't have to rely on my own human strength to praise Him. He sewed this strength to praise Him into the fabric of my being by His Spirit. I need the freshness of the Spirit. I need His healing. His help to praise.

My words of thanks are pretty important to God. When I come to Him, He wants me to come with my words. 

Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips." 
Hosea 14:2

Bring words, which are the fruit of my lips.

and again...

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. Hebrews 13:15

Again. The fruit of lips. Thankfully acknowledging and confessing and glorifying His name is the fruit of my lips. My offering to God.

When I don't feel like thanking Him? Something tells me my Heavenly Father is all the more pleased in my giving.

When it is hardest for you to give God a sacrifice of thanksgiving?