* I Don't Have the Money!

by Joe Ventura

The Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.--Acts 20:35

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.--Acts 4:32

A few years ago my good friend was on the way to the airport and felt prompted by God to stop by the ATM machine and get an extra $100 for the trip. He and a group from his church were flying to Africa as part of a mission outreach.

When he arrived at the airport with his group, he had about twenty people in line ahead of him for an International flight. Standing in line he started reading a book and heard a young woman having a very emotionally charged conversation with the airline ticket clerk ahead of him.

The woman cried out, “But I have to be on that flight!”

He wasn't sure what the exact problem was but it seemed to have something to do with her mother being ill.

He took a few moments to listen to God speak to his heart, silently prayed about what he should do, if anything.

There were no bolts of lighting

As the woman was weeping in distress, his heart went out to her but he couldn’t do anything.

The clerk attempted to comfort the woman, telling her she’d make some kind of phone call to get the flight she was so desperate not to miss and continued to help the other passengers.

This kind of event might have been normal for the airline clerk, but the scene was really weighing on my friend's heart.

Several minutes went by and as he approached the front of the line a call came in with news about her flight.

The clerk cheerfully said, “Good news. We can get you on the flight! It will just cost another $100.”

The look on the woman’s face went from sheer joy to frightened horror.

Sobbing she said, “But I don’t have the money!”

That is when the bolt of lightning struck my buddy's heart. He instantly knew why God had prompted him to get an extra $100 in cash from the ATM on the way to the airport that morning.

Beaming with joy he looked at the clerk and said, “Here, use this for her ticket!”

At first she didn’t want to take the money. She felt ashamed and unworthy.

She finally relented when he told both the young woman and the clerk that he just took out an extra $100 before his flight and that the Lord just showed him who needed it.

Her transaction was completed and she went on her way, touched by the grace of God.

Have you ever been in a situation where you really needed another person's help? Maybe you ran out of gas driving home late at night. Five years ago I was driving to San Diego for Thanksgiving when my car broke down in East Los Angeles. Out of the blue, a man and his wife offered to help me, driving me around LA for over an hour to find a part for my car--he spoke no English and my Spanish is terrible...but it didn't matter. I was very humbled by his generosity, especially on Thanksgiving.

When I pulled off the freeway with no cell phone, this insecure feeling gripped me tightly. I instantly worried about being late for Thanksgiving with my family. I feared they would be upset and then all the unresolved tension between us was stamped on my heart. I wondered what friend would come to pick me up. Who would I call? All of a sudden one or two friends came to mind. Were these the only friends I felt comfortable calling? That was as humbling to realize as being driven around for an hour by complete strangers.

Like the young woman hoping to visit her ill mother, I also didn't get up before my trip thinking I would need the help of a stranger. Yet, in both cases, the grace of God touched our hearts thorough the generosity of another.

After my friend told me this story during a phone conversation, I felt a blessing and was deeply encouraged. There was just something so right about what he did, and his action not only blessed the young woman, but probably all those concerned about her in the airport as she cried, the clerk, her family as she told the story of a man that allowed her to get the flight, me...and hopefully now you. One act of kindness bearing all that fruit.

What an absolute privilege it is to be used by our glorious God to help another person, someone who is in distress.