Several years ago, there was a family living in my apartment building. They would ask me for money fairly regularly. In the apartment there was the father, his second wife and her two boys, his eldest widowed daughter from his first wife (who had died) and her son. He also had another daughter from his first wife, who lived elsewhere with her husband and son. This daughter was more friendly than the others, and even though she did ask for money would talk with me too. She visited me just before the discussion.
Following the discussion, I felt encouraged to pray about how to interact with her, to be able to show God’s love. God brought to mind the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, and said to give her some money, tell her the story and pray for God to increase what I was able to give. I didn’t see her for a few months. A couple of days ago she visited me. I didn’t have much time, and was tempted to say I was about to go out, but God prompted me to invite her in. She told me how difficult her life was, about several things that had happened since I last saw her. She said her family don’t sympathise with her, that I was the only person she felt she could talk to.
It’s difficult to know how much of what she said is true, and how much was because she needed money, but that isn’t my responsibility. Even if some of what she said isn’t true, she is in need and desperate enough to ask for help. I followed what God had said, and told her I would give her money but wanted to tell her a story also. After telling the story I prayed God would increase what I was able to give her.
At this point I don’t know the outcome, and may never know. But the important thing is to be obedient to the prompting of the spirit. That is all God asks of us.
