A few years back, on a rare cold night here in Florida, I saw a homeless man holding a sign that said, “FREEZING. ANYTHING HELPS.” There was a beach towel on the seat next to me, and I figured he might be able to use it.

But I hesitated… because I really liked that towel.

I immediately felt my heart sink over my thought to refuse the opportunity to help this man because of how much I liked the towel. It was a towel. Had the value of a towel become more important to me than the value of this man standing in the cold in front of me?

He was clearly homeless.

Freezing. Dirty. The temperatures were supposed to be in the low 30’s that night. And I was concerned about a towel? I don’t think I’ve ever been more disgusted with myself.

At that moment I waved him down and opened my window to offer him the measly towel. This towel, the one that only a few moments before I had thought I liked too much to give away, had quickly become an offering that seemed too small for this man standing before me. He thanked me with a genuine smile and told me that it would certainly help. Although it wasn’t much, any additional layers can help when you’re freezing.

I thought about that man for days on end. About how broken I realized I was. About how I had almost missed the opportunity to help this man in need, REAL and desperate need, out of my own desire to cling to something as small as a towel.

We live in a society where people have towels that aren’t even meant for touching, living rooms that aren’t meant for sitting in, and care that are never driven. I don’t have an issue with having nice things and taking care of them. But when caring for our stuff gets in the way of caring for people, something is broken. When our hearts are more concerned with holding on to items we don’t need than they are about helping another human being who does need it, we need healing. I realized that day that I needed healing. I never again want to feel hesitant to let go of something as small as a towel that could be someone’s source of at least a little bit of warmth on a cold winter night. Never. Again.

“Anything helps.”

I think we don’t believe it sometimes. We might believe that because we can’t do more, than there’s no point in doing what we actually can do. But when faced with a choice to either bless someone in need or not, even if it’s as seemingly small as giving a homeless person a mere towel, I want to always choose to bless.

Lord, help me to see the opportunities to bless others whenever I can. And give me a heart that is drawn towards giving, always.

XOXO ~Kristin