Missed Opportunities

 

 

"Most of the needy are not looking for a hand out, only a hand up..."

This past week I had a huge missed opportunity. My eyes were open, but the eyes of my heart were only at half mast. I did not realize the huge miss until I got home and was replaying the day. At first I felt bad, really bad. Then I realized God was replaying this event in my mind so next time my "radar" would be better tuned in.

We were at the local adult homeless shelter, putting our names down to volunteer as drivers to pick up excess food at the schools and deliver it to the shelter. It is an important job, as much of the food served there comes from schools and some restaurants. As we were leaving, a lady who could barely walk, was coming up to the door. In her hands she was carrying a small box with some kind of food. She was wearing a light worn out coat, with no hat or gloves on a very cold day. We greeted her, held the door open for her, and then left.

When I got home it hit me like a bolt from the blue. I have about three or four pair of good gloves in the closet. I can only wear on pair at a time. I could have so easily taken my gloves off and given them to the lady who had none. But I did not. I did not react quickly enough. It was a missed opportunity.

One of the goals my wife and I have set for ourselves this year is to capture more of the opportunities to help, to serve others, when they are presented to us. In the past, if was easy for us to pretend we did not see the myriad of opportunities. We were only fooling ourselves.

Next Saturday, we go through training at the Feed My Starving Children headquarters. To say I was excited about this, would be an understatement. This truly amazing organization packs nutritious food packets to sustain life for one person for one day. The number of lives this organization has saved, the amount of suffering it has ameliorated, is nothing short of incredible. This was an opportunity that was presented to us and we jumped on it.

A couple of weeks ago in church we learned that more endorphins are released by the brain when you give than when you receive. Most of us feel good when we give, we feel good when we can serve. It is wired in our DNA.

This week I pledge to walk with my eyes wide open and my heart guiding my radar. I know I will continue to miss some opportunities - I am human. I just want to capture as many opportunities put in my path that I can. They are after all, a gift from God.