So, last week at CROSSPOINT we were given a odd challenge.  Actually, the challenge wasn’t weird, the method was.  About halfway through Curt’s teaching he asked everyone to reach under their seat and pull the envelope taped to the bottom of the chair out.  Every now and then we have these moments where we’re told to do something that we don’t know what’s coming next, but usually it’s pretty interesting… in fact, a friend tweeted the next day after that service, “GOD, could just leave @curt_walters and the rest of Crosspoint hanging just once without the practical life application?” … clearly a humorous way of saying he’s challenged regularly.

So, last week when everyone pulled out their envelope they found varying amounts of money inside the envelope.  Some had $5, some had $10, some had $25.  We were then challenged to use the money in a way to make GOD smile by blessing someone with maximum impact.  We put out right about $1300 for people to go out and make GOD smile.  I love that it’s put like that: make GOD smile.

So, my quest began to find that way to bless.  I’d heard a lot of really great stories of what people were doing with the cash they were given.  One couple put their $10 each together and donated to charity:water. Another lady gave to Feeding America where $1 can provide meals for a week to a child.  So her $5 provided meals for 5 weeks!  WOW!  Another woman ran into a lady that afternoon at the gas station and helped hook her up with a battered women’s shelter and was able to give her the money to help her eat that night.  These are just a few of the many…  It has literally been CRAZY to hear all of the stories.

So, here I am trying to think of maximum impact for $15 (I was in both services so I took 2 envelopes… one with $10 & one with $5).  Then a few nights ago, I was picking up dinner on my way home from teaching a guitar lesson and I saw a family standing in line in front of me at Paradise Bakery.  They looked tired.  Dad, Mom & a daughter… probably 8 or 9 years old.  The daughter was this smiley little girl with no hair and a white bowed headband on.  I assume she’s battling leukemia.  Then I thought, Oh! I could buy their dinner. But, Paradise works similar to a Qdoba or the like where  you’re in a line and you can’t exactly get around to be in front of them… So, they paid and went to sit down while I waited for my salads.  I was bummed, but I figured that it just wasn’t meant to be.

Problem comes that in the next few minutes as I waited I got this really heavy sense of “DO IT ANYWAY.”  It almost hurt in my chest to think of not doing it.  I shrugged it off and went to pay for my meal.  Curt had talked in the service about how sometimes when we think we can’t bless but feel we should we’re given something that we weren’t expecting in order to be able to be the blessing.  The cashier swiped my Paradise Points card and then said, “You have a free meal.  Would you like to use it?”

I think I laughed out loud at her and told GOD (in my head so as not to be thought a complete crazy person), OK, GOD.  You win.  I’ll do it. So, I bought a gift card for the family walked it over to them and opened up with, “You’re gonna think this sounds weird, but last week at church we were given money and were told to make GOD smile by blessing someone with it.  I think GOD’s telling me to bless you guys today.  So, here you go!”

I walked away.  Right before I hit the door, the dad looked over at me and said, “I want you to know that someday we plan on giving back.”  I don’t know if he felt guilty or what, but there were no strings.  I didn’t tell him what church we were with. I didn’t leave a Crosspoint pen with it.  I didn’t even tell him my name.  I just gave and walked away.  It was thrilling, exciting, and scary all at the same time.

But, GOD smiled!

Be the blessing.

-PJT