I had a doctors appointment early one morning last week and I left before I ate breakfast…not a wise decision.  So after spending an hour and a half at the doctor’s office, I was hurting, sore and hungry.  I had one errand to run before heading home to make good use of the heating pad.  I glanced toward Loyless Doughnuts, as I passed by that way and saw that the sign said OPEN!  It took a few seconds to register that I had finally driven by when they were not closed.  “I’m going back,” I said out loud.  One of those doughnuts would surely help my feelings!  I wove my way around the streets and ended up back at Loyless.  As I pulled up to the window…my heart sank.  Right there on a sign in the window…it said NO CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS…CASH ONLY.

I immediately knew I was in trouble.  Because I didn’t want to lug my big purse around this morning, I grabbed a small bag and threw in my cards, and my phone and a lipstick.  I have my cash in a different pace than where I keep my cards.  And, I didn’t have it with me.  My luck.  I finally see them open and no money!

I remembered I had some change in a cup and grabbed it and thought I may have enough for one doughnut.  I was sifting through my change, when a man opened the window.  He asked how he could help me.  I smiled at him and said…”Well, I’m trying to see if I have enough for a doughnut!  I don’t have any other cash with me but this change!”  He laughed and said, “Not to worry.  I can give you a sample!”  He came back with one heavenly glazed doughnut and one double heavenly glazed with chocolate!  I said, “I have 75 cents here.  Let me give you that.”  “No ma’am,” he said, “this is on me today!”  I said, “You are very kind.  I hope you have a blessed day today.”  He said, “Well, I can certainly use some blessings!”  “Well, you have blessed me today and I thank you so much,” I said.

And, as I drove off, I saw him put the closed sign in the window.

I devoured those two doughnuts.  I had the plain one for my breakfast and the chocolate one for dessert!  There are none that compare!   “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Psalm 34:8.  Those are some mighty fine doughnuts…but if you live in Dothan…you already know that!

My spirits were lifted.  I don’t know if the blessing was for me to get the doughnuts…or for him to  have the opportunity to bless me with the doughnuts...as a sample…free of charge!!!    Because, we can not do something to bless others without the blessing rubbing off on us, too.

Perhaps God was thinking that when He said that we are to ‘serve one another in love and action’.   He knew all along that if we strive to do that for others…we are going to share in the blessing ourselves!  It just rubs off on the doer as much as the receiver.

And when we read this verse…

…we see that God has already set out all these opportunities in front of us.  He prepared a place and time for us to share His love.  Oh, I fear that I have missed some of my opportunities when I was too busy or too distracted or too self involved!  I now try to look for ways to be available to do  something in His name.  And, I still fail.  How it must grieve Him that I don’t notice what He puts right in front of me.

I remember a sermon long ago where the preacher posed this question …’What are you put on this earth for?’  At the time, I was young and still had many lessons left to learn.  But, the speaker went on to answer his own question.  He said, “Your sole purpose on this earth is to serve God by serving others.”  I wrote that in big letters in my Bible and have never forgotten it.  I’ve heard it preached on many times since then, but that statement truly hit the mark that day!

I still think that is such a profound statement.  We have all been gifted with talents.   And, all He asks in return is that we use those gifts to serve one another…to be His hands on this earth.  But, serving others doesn’t even require one of those special gifts…it involves looking and seeing other people and putting ourselves in their place.

A few weeks ago, I was in the line at the grocery store.  Even though I went in for a few items, my cart was filled to overflowing.  The lines were long at every checkout.  So I chose one and waited.  I noticed that someone came up behind me, and I turned to see a man who had two items in his hands.  I smiled at him and said, “Please go ahead of me…I’ll take a lot longer than you.”  “Oh, no, ma’am”, he said, “I don’t mind waiting my turn.”  “Of course you don’t, but I would want someone to let me go first, if things were reversed.”  “Well, thank you, ma’am.  I am in a big hurry.”  He went on ahead, and finished and started walking away.  He stopped and came back to me and said, “It’s been a long time since someone did something kind for me.  You have made my day”  “Great,” I said, “Just pass it along to someone else.”  “I surely will, ” he said. and he walked away with a smile on his face.

Now what I did was no big deal.  I do that any time I can. He felt blessed and I felt like God was pleased.  And, I don’t know about you, but anytime I feel like God is pleased with me, I’m a happy girl!  I don’t believe we meet people by accident.  I believe that people are placed in our path for a reason…either a lesson to be learned or a blessing to be shared!