Years ago, when I was learning to recognize and trust the leading of the Holy Spirit, I frequently crossed paths with the homeless population where I lived. To be honest, I was uncomfortable seeing them on the streets. My heart broke for them, but I didn’t believe there was anything I could do that would make a difference. I struggled to afford groceries for myself, and I couldn’t afford a place of my own. Every dollar I had needed to stretch far to cover my expenses. Sometimes, I didn’t have enough to pay my monthly bills, but the Lord still ensured my basic needs were provided for. 

One evening, I was driving through town and saw a homeless man standing on the corner holding a sign asking for help. I locked eyes with him and felt the Lord quicken my spirit, but I kept driving. I did not stop. When I was a little way down the road, the Lord spoke to my spirit, saying, Turn around. Go back. Help him. 

“But Lord”, I said, “I only have $20 in my wallet, and it needs to last me for several more days until I get paid again.” I kept driving. The Lord spoke to my spirit again, saying, Turn around. Go back. Help him. I decided to listen to the Lord but wasn’t happy about it. I begrudgingly turned the car around and pulled into the grocery store parking lot. I walked in and grabbed peanut butter, jelly, bread, apple sauce, bottled water, paper plates, and plastic utensils, and with the last $20 in my wallet, I paid, walked back to the car, and drove to where I had seen the homeless man. 

As I approached him, I rolled down my window and said, “Excuse me, sir. The Lord wanted you to have this. God bless you.” I handed him the groceries, smiled, and drove off. What sticks with me the most about that encounter is the look on his face when I handed him the bags. He was surprised. I wasn’t proud of my reluctance to follow the Lord’s leading to give up what I believed I needed to help someone else, but I did it anyway. 

Have you ever been prompted by the Holy Spirit to help someone else in need? How did you respond to the Lord’s leading? 

In addition to helping the man in need, the Lord wanted to see if I trusted Him more than I trusted in the security of a $20 safety net. James 2:14-18 says, 

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” (NLT)

Having faith is important, but what we do because of our faith is equally important. This is how we show the Lord and the world our faith. This is how we can be a light in the darkness and bring hope to the hurting and lost around the world. Show up, even when it’s hard, and partner with the Lord to bring His people back to Him. How can you make a difference in the lives of those you cross paths with? How can you be a light in the darkness? Will you choose to exercise your faith with me?

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.