Faith Is Best When Given Away

I had to work today, but on the way home I took the backroads - the leaves are lovely and you never know what you might see. As I neared home and at a stop, across the road was a truck with it's emergency lights. The young man on his phone was upset, talking into a cell phone and obviously lost. He had a crew cap, tattoos all over, I was by myself.  But I've been in that situation myself so I rolled my window down and asked if he needed help. He came over to my car, he'd just moved here and didn't realize his gas gauge was broken - two kids in the car, out of gas, emergency service on speaker phone asking him again and again where are you?

I used my GPS to locate the address, was that ridge or run? Castle?, no Castile I spelled for her. She found it and then announced it would be a $100 service plus surcharge, and then the gas..... due when they came - we both looked at each other in astonishment, especially since they weren't coming from that far. I told him to hang up the phone and then I called home - David said he'd be waiting with a gas can. Half an hour later David was pouring enough gas in his tank to get him safely to a gas station or home, I could see him smiling and shaking his head no. The guy came over to my car and tried to hand me money - I told him no too - then I said what I've said before - the next time you see someone who needs help, remember how nice we were to you and help them out, that's all we need today. 

We've all had that unexpected kindness -  the 3 people at the store letting us ahead because they remember how hard it is to shop with kids, someone hands you the dollar you're short at Starbucks - I've had that happen and I remember not only being grateful, but reminded that we all need to help each other out. There are times when your faith is restored in humanity but like today, sometimes YOU have to be the one restoring someone else's faith. Rather hilariously while David was filling the tank this guy's new pastor drove by and rolled down his window to see if he needed help - 

LOL! No thank you man of God, the atheists have it covered!

I hope if that young man ever sees someone in trouble he'll think of us and do for someone else what we did for him today - I knew by the look of relief on his face and smile as he thanked us he'll remember, just like I've never forgotten that kind woman who sent her son down to fix my tire when I broke down on a very rural road with no cell service. So in the immortal words of Ghandi:  

Be the change that you wish to see in the world