“if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” -Isaiah 58:10
Lynn Shockey lives in a senior housing complex in Chicago, Illinois. Like many her age, Lynn lives on a limited budget. She works hard to make her income cover her needs. Lynn was at her local grocery store when the unexpected happened. While checking out at the register, Lynn’s card did not work. She began to dig into her purse to use some cash she had put back. Unfortunately, Lynn did not have enough money. She began to select items to put back.
Thankfully, another unexpected moment made Lynn’s day much better. As she was removing items from the grocery line, a gentleman with his two children entered the line behind her. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and swiped his card on Lynn’s behalf. Lynn stood in shock as he completed the transaction and paid for her groceries. Lynn would write, “What a blessed thing he did; it melted my heart.”
Lynn wrote a lengthy social media post expressing her gratitude for this man and his children. She then stated that she was making soup for all her neighbors. She felt the least she could do was continue the kindness and bless her neighbors with the unexpected joy she received.
How we express God’s love for our neighbor is simple. We extend gracious help when our neighbors are in need. We share kind words. We feed them when they are hungry. We pray for them. God’s love is abundant, and God has richly blessed us. It is important to share the love that has been shared with us. God has treated us with immeasurable kindness. Let us do the same for one another.
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
