A few days ago, I was in a hurry and passed by a middle-aged man sitting on the sidewalk between a church and a hot dog stand. I heard a voice in my conscience say: Stop! Taking two steps backwards, I crouched in front of him, but before I could say anything he started to weep, saying, “I’m so hungry!”
I bought a hot dog from the stand and brought it back to him. I was about to leave again, but I got another nudge from Jesus: Aren’t you going to give him a little time, so you can tell him about Me? So, I crouched again, waited for him to take a few bites, and then asked if he minded if I prayed with him. He agreed, and we prayed together for God to supply his needs and protect him. He also prayed with me to ask Jesus to come into his heart.
While he finished eating, I asked if he needed transport money. He replied that he lived in the bus terminal. Suddenly, all my worries about family, finances, and the like disappeared completely, as I realized how small my problems really were!
That evening, when I looked at my journal, I remembered that I’d started the year with a list of blessings—my family, my house, good food, clean water, my dogs and plants, and so on. These things are great blessings, but I realized they’re not the greatest blessings I have. I added more to my list: salvation and eternal life, God’s Word, His love.
As I meditated on my spiritual blessings, I felt the burden of my material struggles and health concerns become much lighter in comparison with the assurance that God is always by my side, always protecting me, providing for me, and guiding me. It reminded me of Psalm 27:13: “I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living” (NLT).