A Good Man

I knew I had a good husband. But sometimes I get reminded of that with a bang! I think to myself, "Wow, not many people I know would do the same as my husband."

I think most of us like to help people, I know I do. How do you help people? My husband isn't one to just give money to those in need, he wants them to work for it. This summer he has made a special effort to help those in need by finding jobs for them to do around our yard. There is an extremely high rate of unemployment here and in this way he has been able to help them.

I am proud of my huband. There are a lot of beggars in Latvia, and sometimes people you know just come to your door and ask for money. The easy thing to do is to give them the money they ask for, and be done with with that. I think being asked for money makes people feel uncomfortable and so we give the asked for money (if we can) so as to avoid prolonged contact with the person asking. But my husband doesn't do that. He offers the person asking to work for the money they requested.

A few weeks ago a young man (seen a few times at youth group several years ago) came and asked for 80 cents. I didn't know what to do, Janis wasn't home. I said, "Just a minute." I then called Janis and asked him what I should do. He told me to have the young man come back later. I went and told them young man that my husband said to come back later. The young man said, "Then will he give me the money?" I told him that my husband said he would give him some kind of job. I wondered if the young man would come back and if it wouldn't have been easier just to give him the small amount he asked for. But he did come back, and earned $10.00 rather than the asked fo 80 cents. That was the first time, and now he has begun to come more frequently and earn a bit of money by mowing our lawn.

I have observed others ask for money and seen as the person asked slips money into their hand. One lady in particular comes at the end of our church service and asks for money from people. Those who give her money always seem to do it sort of secretly. I wonder if that is because they want it to be a secret, or because they wonder if they are doing right? Perhaps it would be better if we encouraged her to work as well, by giving her jobs to earn some money. . . I don't know.

I just wanted to muse on how I am proud of my husband for how he helps others, but not just with a one time gift. He is in his helping trying to teach others the value of work, not just of receiving. He is going the extra mile of teaching while giving, not just taking the easy way out.