Spiritual Love Warrior

Generosity through helping others

“What does love look like?

It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”

Augustine

The Situation

I sat down to write a blog post for my author website, and came across a news post on MSN. It brought me to tears with how desperate a mother was to feed her children and the beauty which arose of it through an act of love. This is a woman with no transportation, no phone service, and no money.

“I went to local churches and everything, trying to find food for my children,” she told the dispatcher. “My kids have not eaten since yesterday.” 

Her food stamps wouldn’t arrive for another month and her kids haven’t eaten since the day before. On day two with no food,  in desperation, she calls 911 for help.

While this determined mother was on the phone with the dispatcher, another dispatcher, Tondaleya Bagby, overheard the call and requested an officer visit the family’s house.

When the officer arrived and noticed no food, he went to a local restaurant to buy some. That’s not all, along with two other officers, they pooled their money together and purchased ten bags of food and toiletry supplies.

Their act of generosity goes above and beyond their roles. What were your first thoughts in hearing the dispatchers initial response of  “Well this is for police only,” the dispatcher said. “It’s not for this.”  Mine were filled with a few not very pleasant ones.

A few bible entries about this subject

Isaiah 58:10 If you give some of your own food to [feed] those who are hungry and to satisfy [the needs of] those who are humble, then your light will rise in the dark, and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.

Isaiah 58:7 Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help

Luke 3:11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.”

Matthew 10:42 I tell all of you with certainty, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple will never lose his reward.

Proverbs 19:17 The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.

Proverbs 22:9 A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

1 John 3:17-18 Now, suppose a person has enough to live on and notices another believer in need. How can God’s love be in that person if he doesn’t bother to help the other believer? Dear children, we must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.

Your Homework

I encourage you to read the full news article here. What are your thoughts after reading this story with a happy ending? Share in the comments below.