9.19.2006

You can learn (a lot) from my mistakes ...

A couple days ago I fed this homeless man named Eugene. He was sitting behind Avanti's starving, and I brought him a gondola. As soon as he received it, he began to devour it. Once finished, he did not acknowledge me. No eye contact. Not even a "thank you".

My roommates were around when I got home, so naturally I began to discuss this tragedy with them. "Can you believe the guy didn't say thanks? I bought him food and he couldn't even offer a simple 'Thank You'?"

My mistake. I forgot that my worship doesn't begin with me. It begins and ends with Jesus -- who said this:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them ... when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do ... that they may be praised by others.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


Jesus in Matthew 6 (ESV)

Learn from my mistake. Give freely today to the needy. But don't tell anyone. And don't require thanks. Just give.

4 comments:

Leslie said...

Amen.

Elana said...

Hey Jake! It's been way too long... Just wanted to say thanks for having the humility to share... it was a good reminder for me, today especially :)

erichapman said...

but... didn't you just tell everyone about your good deed?

Jake Bland said...

Eric - I always appreciate your honest and direct questions.

Yes ... As soon as I got home, I was eager to announce how "good I was" and how "wrong he was" for not saying thanks.

So, it's too late to keep this one a secret bro. But I'm working to eliminate my self-righteousness, and let's hope you won't hear about future attempts.

Right now