PG31 Challenge #14 OPEN TO GIVING

Today's Verse:Proverbs 31:20

She opens her hands to oppressed people and stretches them out to needy people. GWT

She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. KJV

Key Word: OPEN

Reflect: I don't often get a chance to share this particular time in my life, but when I was a middle schooler, my family went through about four months of homelessness, shortly before Hurricane Andrew. Through a series of unfortunate life events, my mother, my sister, and I found ourselves evicted from our home, leaving an abusive stepfather for the unknown. As it turned out, I learned some lessons early on: Even if it means being homeless, NEVER compromise your integrity to fulfill a temporary need. I won't share everything that happened, but I will say we wound up in a home where my mother was taken advantage of and my sister and I were treated like slaves entering through the back door. We were out of our school district and we had to get up around 5:00 am. With no money for busfare, we walked to our middle school, at minimum 10 miles from where we were. Our host home took any finances my mother made, leaving her struggling to save money to get another place. Our house host would buy groceries and feed her family a full course meal. Our meal for four months? Lima beans, white rice, and water. To this day, I do not eat lima beans. What am I getting at? To this day, I am now in my mid-thirties, I remember that this family, though they

had taken us in, were not really stretching their hands to the poor and needy. This was not a situation we had created. Instead, they took advantage of our unfortunate situation to stretch their own meager earnings. Shortly after we finally moved into our own place, Hurricane Andrew hit. This family's house was completely wiped out. Now, the tables were reversed. They came to us for help. It was in this that I saw my mother step up and forgive, not return evil behavior for evil. Yes, my Mother could have easily said, "You treated us like the stuff under your shoe!" But, she didn't. She gave them food, offered what financial assistance she could, and taught us a valuable lesson. No matter how ugly people get with you, you don't have to return it. To this day, I continue to give to those in need with the resources I have.

ProACTION: Start where you are. You don't have to be Oprah, to see a need and fill it today. Reach out and sow a seed to someone you know. Don't pass them by today!