Have you won the lotto?

The title is an eye catcher.  Ever wonder what you would do with $1 million dollars… I’m sure if you were honest. At least one time in your life you’ve thought about how your life would change if you “WON THE LOTTO”.   What would you buy?  Mine would be a truck along with donating to worthy causes.

Ever seen one of these signs? What is your first reaction? Negative?  Why is this person standing here holding this sign instead of out finding a job?  I don’t have time?  I don’t want to engage…

Matthew 25:40 (NIV) “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Here is my short story I felt led to share.  I was out and about one day and pulling out of a local retailer.  A person was standing at an intersection where several cars a second were exiting.

I had my window down and waiting for traffic to clear.  I acknowledged the individual who was standing there.  I asked her name, she replied Bobbie.   I said hello and pulled out into traffic.

As I was headed to my destination.  I couldn’t help but say a short pray for Bobbie.  As I finished my errand, I had Bobbie on my mind.  God was nudging to go back and talk with her.   I headed back to the retailer.  I walked down and engaged a conversation.

I asked “How are you today? What is your story?”  At first she was a bit standoff’ish.  I don’t blame her.  I was interrupting her attempt to collect from cars that continued to exit the retailer.  After asking a few other questions and telling her about myself.  I handed her a donation…This is where it gets real.

She asked if I found the money on the ground?  I stated no and asked why?  She shared with me a passer by once handed her a $100 bill.  His comment to her was as follows.

“I found this $100 on the ground and figured it wasn’t mine and I would give you to.  I’m not out anything and I don’t like people who stand with signs like you are doing”.

Not sound very loving does it?  Apostle Paul writes..

1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV) “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

I could sense her defensiveness when telling me about this story.  She took my donation and put in her pocket.  Then she asked me directly…

Have you won the lotto? 

I thought for a moment and stated… Well, not on earth but as a Christian my eternal destination is set as far as my faith goes.  I feel with Christ in my life, I’ve won the lotto yet not fully realized it.  But on earth, I’ve wished a few times but not won.

We talked for a few more minutes and I asked.  Has anyone else stopped by. She told me no.  I asked if anything good happened this particular day.  She said no.  I asked her where she was from.  She mentioned a small town about 30 minutes away from the location.   I told her I was from a small town.  She asked me if I recognized her because they worked a location in my town recently.  I asked her what she thought of my hometown.  She said the people were nasty and were not nice.  This was humbling although I can understand.

We talked a few more minutes and as I was walking away.  I said God bless and have a good day.  She said, goodbye Steve with a smile.

I don’t type this for a pat on the back. I struggle every time I see a person holding a sign asking for help.   What I got from this particular situation was as a Christian.

Have we won the lotto?  My answer is yes.  The next time you see a person holding a sign.  They are made in God’s image and deserve compassion.   Take time just once to stop by and have a conversation, hand them a few bucks.  It was an eye opener and try to follow prompts from the Holy Spirit.

From one moment we talked about winning to the lotto to people asking for assistance via a sign standing outside a busy intersection.  What were your emotions?

Hope this makes ya think.  It did me…

God bless,

Steve