Half Of What’s Mine Is Yours
Today I went for lunch at BPs. I had the most delicious buffalo chicken sandwich. I never steer away from it and try anything else, it’s just too good. It’s a very large sandwich and I usually eat the whole thing. I just can’t stop eating it. But afterward I hurt and immediately regretted my impulsive decision. Today I ate only half of it and boxed the other half.
Today I also met Hank. Well Hank is his street name he says. His real name is Henry. I met him walking home from school. He stopped me and asked for a quarter. I did my usual, “Sorry I have no money” but we continued to talk. He told me he’s a lone ranger, originally from Battleford. Between his slurred speech and drooling he also told me he’s 57 and I also heard the word “hungry” somewhere in there. Perfect, I thought! I have half a sandwich. I gave it to him and he seemed excited. But he told me not to worry about him because he’s a survivor. He went to a Residential School, been through two divorces and traveled all over alone. When I asked if he had kids he immediately broke down and cried, telling me he had a son but the police found him frozen just outside of Saskatoon ten years ago. My heart sank. I asked him if I could pray for him and he tried to brush me off, saying he was fine. But he never left. He then let me pray for him and in the middle of the School Division parking lot, as people walked past, I prayed for him. We kissed and hugged and talked some more and said good-bye a hundred times but never seemed to be able to leave.
Half of what is mine is yours.
John was speaking to a crowd, and after he called them all vipers, they asked, “What should we do then?” John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:11)
People interpret this many ways. But I say, if you have a whole buffalo chicken sandwich, half of it doesn’t belong to you.
(Many thanks to Jason VanBinsbergen for passing this wonderful story along to us. Canada rocks.)
May 12th, 2010 · 6 Comments
Categories: OA Stories
Elaine said
am May 12 2010 @ 2:14 pm
beautiful story of being obedient to the promptings – so easy to miss or ignore.
a miracle happens every time we respond to the promptings…
what if she had eaten her whole sandwich…
Shelly said
am May 12 2010 @ 3:51 pm
The amazing thing about this young woman is that this is her “normal”…it’s such a part of who she is and how she serves others that she often is taken aback when people think differently or are shocked at this type of behavior.
Here’s to DE making this type of thing “the norm” for more of us…the way it is for you and Kristal.
Thanks Randy!!
Timothy Fisher said
am May 13 2010 @ 11:26 am
Thank you for a great story, which reminds us that we don’t always have to go out looking for ministry, God brings it to us. I loved the line, “But I say, if you have a whole buffalo chicken sandwich, half of it doesn’t belong to you.” What other “halfs” in life do we have that don’t belong to us, but are to be given as a practical expression of Christ’s love?
Randy Siever said
am May 13 2010 @ 1:13 pm
That’s a disturbing question, Timothy. I actually thought about this over breakfast this morning, when I had an ENORMOUS egg sandwich (of course I ate the whole thing). But the thought occurred to me that my life would become really interesting if I actually considered that half of EVERYTHING I have been blessed with doesn’t belong to me, and looked for ways to give it away. Of course, nothing I have actually belongs to me, but I live as if it does, so the thought was quite disturbing.
Hey, if readers here don’t recognize Timothy, check out my review of his excellent book:
http://doableevangelism.com/2010/02/17/contagious-but-not-quarantined/
Bruce said
am May 21 2010 @ 5:44 pm
The amazing thing about this young woman is that this is her “normal”…it’s such a part of who she is and how she serves others that she often is taken aback when people think differently or are shocked at this type of behavior.
Here’s to DE making this type of thing “the norm” for more of us…the way it is for you and Kristal.
Thanks Randy!!
Amy said
am June 3 2010 @ 10:45 pm
beautiful story of being obedient to the promptings – so easy to miss or ignore.
a miracle happens every time we respond to the promptings…
what if she had eaten her whole sandwich…