Weekly Devotions - Sowing Seeds of Faith

Article about Sowing Seeds of Faith and Internet Ministry

Would you like to become a Sowing Seeds Ministry partner? Click here for more information.

"7 Dollars and 43 Cents"

The checkout at the local grocery store was long and I was in a hurry, as usual. Seeing another line nearly empty, I slipped over and stood behind the only customer still to make a purchase. A young twenty-something woman was holding a small basket with fifteen to twenty jars of baby food. There was nothing else in the shopping cart: just baby food.

“This is great,” I thought. “She’ll only be a minute and I can be on my way.”

The clerk took the woman’s check for seven dollars and forty-three cents, efficiently typed in the numbers and slid it into the proper slot on the register. At this point the cash drawer was supposed to open while a receipt was printed, but not this time. A light began to blink: “See Manager.” The clerk called on the intercom for the supervisor while running the check through again on her register. The same sign kept flashing: “See Manager.”

Oh no!” I thought. “Not another delay. I’m in a hurry and don’t need for the cash register to break down.”

When the supervisor arrived, however, he didn’t look at the cash register but instead picked up the check, pulled the customer aside and began whispering to her. I could feel the muscles in my stomach tighten as the reality of what was happening became abundantly clear.

The check for seven dollars and forty-three cents was no good and the manager was quietly saying this young woman could not buy her baby food here. The clerk quickly and efficiently set the groceries aside, closed her account and began to ring up my purchase.

Read our devotions daily. Click here for more.

Look for Larry's Latest book coming March 25, 2007.

"Live the Light!

Five Weeks to a Life that Shines!"

Click Here

“She should manage her money better!” I tried to convince myself while leaving the store. “She’s probably an alcoholic or a drug addict.” But my flimsy excuses would not erase the picture in my mind of a grocery basket filled with jars of baby food… baby food.

Jesus teaches: “You are the light of the world...we don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead we put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine so they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mat. 5:14-16)

Every day, you and I receive opportunities to help someone in need. Our light shines when we use those God-given opportunities to witness our faith by reaching out and getting involved. There is nothing dramatic about these day-to-day encounters but more than anything we could possibly preach these encounters emphatically tell the world what kind of Christians we really are.

At this point, I want to finish the story by writing how I approached the manager and offered to pay for the purchase of the baby food. It was the right thing to do. I don’t have much money but I can afford seven dollars and forty-three cents worth of baby food. Instead, hiding God’s precious light under a bowl, I turned my head and walked away. There are no acceptable excuses. I had a great opportunity to help someone and walked away.

Next time… I will do better. God taught a valuable lesson. What we believe as Christians only works if we turn our faith into action. In the years since writing this story, I have sponsored many ministries to help others. More importantly, I have become more alert to the needs around me and quietly helped wherever and whenever I could.

How about you? How many opportunities have you missed to let God’s light shine and help someone in need but instead walked away and hid God’s precious light under a bowl?

Next time… you are in a check-out line at your local grocery store. Instead of worrying about your schedule, look around you. Maybe God will give you the opportunity to help someone who needs seven dollars and forty-three cents to buy baby food. Please, in the name of God, let your light shine brightly and give them a helping hand.

I wrote this article thirteen years ago but every now and then, I brush the dust off and use it again. Why? Because I once had a God given opportunity to help someone but in my busyness, missed it. Truthfully, you and I miss or take advantage of similar opportunities every day. So every few years I pull out this story as a painful reminder that I too make mistakes and I need to listen more closely to God’s guidance. Don’t we all? Don’t we all.

Next: I receive another opportunity to help someone in need: Click Here

Do you want to join us in prayer for others? Do you need prayer? Click Here.

Last modified August 29, 2006.

Would you like to receive your own weekly devotions? Be involved in our prayer chain?

New Web Feature: Read our devotions daily... Click here for July