This particular story is written by Marion Doolan from The Bigness of the Fellow Within
Lady, are you rich?
They huddled inside the storm door - two children in ragged outgrown coats.
"Any old papers, lady?"
I was busy. I wanted to say no - until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals, sopped with sleet. "Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa." There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone.
I served them cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household budget...
The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in.
The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, "Lady...are you rich?"
"Am I rich? Mercy no!" I looked at my shabby slip covers.
The girl put her cup back in its saucer - carefully. "Your cups match your saucers." Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach.
They left then, holding thier bundles of paper against the wind. They hadn't said thank you. They didn't need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched. I tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy. Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job - these things matched, too.
I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my hearth. I let them be. I want them there in case I ever forget again how very rich I am.
How rich are you guys?
I don't know about you, but even in my very circumstance I've got four walls around me, a bed with pillows and a blanket, a kitchen with food, and my mother & sister here with me.
How rich am I? Deuteronomy 8:10-18. It's a good one. Here's a bit of it: (17-18) You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
This morning my mom and I got quite busy cleaning up the apartment, dusting, putting away things, scrubbing, etc. I worked for hours on my room. I moved around furniture, now that we've been here for a few months I've realized where things should be due to necessity, so that's good! I added some new elements to my room, hung things up on the wall, and am in the process of doing 5 loads of laundry. It looks splendid, I could tell you that. Things are color coordinated (I'm quite a neat freak in that ideal) and everything seems to match. My things match.
One of the pastors at my church last Summer said something to all of us college kids that kind of stuck with me. We were talking about fellowship and watching out for, as well as taking care of, your brothers and sisters. He said to check in with each other, with your friends, with non-friends even. We're all brothers & sisters, so why not? He said it could be as simple as going up to a friend and saying "How's your heart these days?" It'll be an invitation for each of you to check your own heart.
So here I am, in my spick-and-span cleaned-up room saying to myself, "How's your heart these days?" Without going too much into detail - yes, things aren't as wonderful as they could be, and I'm working on it, but everything matches. Matches in the sense that, I'm loved by Christ, by my mother & father, my sister, my boyfriend, my best friends, my family. I love them equally back. So...matches. It all matches.
The things in between my four walls, sure, they match. But they're not where my wealth is. You could check my wallet or savings account too! I can assure you, that ain't where my wealth is. If you want to know where my wealth is just ask me how my heart is doing. :)
From: Me
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