a heart of gold with a wallet containing just a penny...

we were on our way into the grocery store the other day & Josiah informed me that we needed to call grandpa. I inquired as to why... he had just spent a few days at his grandparents house & spent sometime at his grandpa's garage. Josiah said that a older man came into the shop to talk to grandpa about his car. Josiah said that the older man had said if it was this much to fix his car he could afford it, but if it was more he would not be able to get his car fixed. Josiah said he needed to call grandpa to find out how much it was going to be to fix his car, 'cause if it was more than the old man could afford, Josiah wanted to sent grandpa money to cover the difference, so the old man could get his car fixed.
Just when I get frustrated with whining or complaining that a normal 6 year old does, and I can't stand no more, he is famous for just hitting me over the head with a brick. Putting the needs of others over your own wants. Wow what a lesson. We as adults think we have it all figured out, listen to us children, we know what we a talking about, we have life experience...blah, blah, blah...
It is a great blessing to be that way. I can remember I was about 12 or 13 sitting in church listening to a sermon on giving, but I will never forget what he said. "If you give with your left hand, your right hand should not have any idea of what your left hand has done, and after a while your left hand should forget about what it did." It struck a cord with me. I came up with the idea that: The true measure of giving is that there is no measure. No, I did this for you or I gave this much. If you measure how much you give than it is not truly giving. As a matter of fact when my wife & I give to the church (including tithe) we give in cash only, no checks. Because at the end of the year, I don't want to know how much and if I claim it on my taxes, is that really giving? Does God send me an end of the year statement for all the blessings he has given me? Then why should I get one from the church?
Be careful with that heart of gold, son. Keep care of it, because so many people over the period of time start of with that same heart, but life gets in the way and that heart gets tarnished & before you know it, it is gone. A heart like that is not learned, it is instilled into every one of us, just some people don't know how to listen to it. There will be people who take advantage of it, unfortunately, and it will hurt, sometimes a lot. But the reward you get in knowing that you have been there for someone when no one else was, is a reward that you can not put a price tag on. With a heart like that you will be a valuable friend to someone someday. To be that person that people know you can call any day or night and will be there for them. Satisfaction, guaranteed... Listen to the children sometime, you might learn something.