Almay Belton is a teenager who lives in High Point, North Carolina. Even though she depends on a wheelchair for transportation, being independent is a priority. It is usually smooth going, except for the times leaving or entering her house, due to the steps. Every day, her father, Anthony Belton, helps Almay down the steps to catch the school bus and then back up the steps after school. Anthony stated, “Well it was kind of hard mostly on her, because basically she’s going up and down the steps, so basically constantly bumping and dumping down the steps, and you see her jumping and jumping. Then at the same time it’s hard on me, dealing with my back and I’m getting older, not younger.” One day Joe Hill drove up, parked his huge truck in front of their house, and knocked on the front door. Owner of Premier Waterproofing, he had been working in the area when he noticed the bus stop incident. Hill asked if he could come and build a ramp for the family and it wouldn’t cost them anything. On Monday morning, Hill and a crew showed up and built the ramp. The reward was Almay’s smile and delight when she could roll up and down the ramp by herself. Hill replied, “I saw a need, and I knew I could take care of it, and it went from there.”
Justice Smith and his 5-year-old son, Justus, were walking home from the dentist when they noticed a homeless man. Smith realized he didn’t have any cash on him so he nodded his head and waved to the man. As if reading his mind, Justus told his dad he wanted to give the man all the money in his pocket. Justice knew 30 cents wouldn’t make much difference, plus he didn’t want to insult the man. He almost told his son not to give the change. “My own pride and thoughts of the homeless individual’s unknown reaction to receiving just two coins were standing in the way. I thought to myself ‘Dude get over it. This is what we’ve been teaching him and now that he wants to give everything he has to offer in this moment, you’re going to let your personal self-centeredness ruin a possibly life-long, great memory and solid teaching moment?’” He didn’t want his son to think that being prideful was more important than helping someone. Speaking to the man first, Justice explained that he didn’t have any cash on him, but that his son wanted to give him all the money he had with him. Smith commented, “The only thing that matched the brightness of that stranger’s smile after that moment was the bigger smile on our ‘baby’ boy’s face!! Our little boy, without even realizing it, reminded me once again by his actions that it’s always about the heart. It doesn’t matter how much you have or how little; giving in love and sincerity will often bless others more than we think.”
May we, too, put aside pride and self-centeredness to do our part to bless those around us.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 4:21
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