What difference does it make if you give a dollar or two to feed the hungry or care for the weak and infirmed? How important is charitable giving?
Some time ago I did a funeral for a man named John who had been a prisoner of war during WWII. At the time he was a young boy, from Poland, and was separated from his family and sent to a camp by himself. Afraid and alone, winter set in and many in the concentration camp began to die of exposure. He survived due to the kindness of one man, a man he didn’t know and who didn’t know him. In the concentration camp there was only one barrel that had fire burning in it to keep the prisoners warm, and those that were young, weak and infirmed didn’t‘ have the strength to push through the crowd to warm themselves for the precious few moments necessary to stay alive. It was a matter of life of death for everyone.
John, then only 9 years old, survived because each day an unnamed man would come to the back of the crowd, and help him come to the front to stand by the fire for a few moments.
John credited that man with saving his life.
In much the same way, when you are giving to feed the poor, or any act of service to someone you never know and will never see, you are providing a way for them to survive – so that one day they might thrive.
Never underestimate the importance of one small act of kindness.
David Curry
