"RETURN ON INVESTMENT!"

Psalms 41:1-2 (KJV) "Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies." I went to a benefit (fundraiser) this weekend for underfunded families. It was held at a Country Club and was a "Formal" attire event. There was dancing and hors dourves for all and it was crowded to the MAX! While one speaker, a known generous contributor to the charity, was telling how he had been blessed with a good business, therefore he was able to assist those less fortunate, I was left thinking about some of the conditions these "poor" people live in. Most live in mobile homes that are in disrepair. Because of their economic lack of success, a lot struggle with addictions to mask their problems. It got me reminiscing about how I grew up. My mom and dad divorced when I was four years old. My mom was a divorced, high school drop-out, with three kids to raise. My dad chose to move to Canada to avoid paying the child support the court ordered him to pay. We lived in a house that had limited plumbing, limited electricity, no air conditioning and no central heat. We only had one "space heater" to keep the house warm. Our clothes were generally bought "TOO BIG" and we grew into them in an attempt to make them last longer. I can remember our family being given a used window A/C unit when I was 10-12 years old! We thought we were "RICH"! But, my mom always made sure we were in church. She went to nursing school and graduated. When she got a job nursing, we kids were instructed to walk to church every Sunday. A few times people from church would give us a ride to church, or give us a ride home. I remember THOSE people TO THIS DAY! When you have a chance to TRULY IMPACT someone's life, it is remembered. You can give money at fundraisers all you want, but when you invest TIME and a RIDE to a child who has walked to church in 35 degree weather, IT IS REMEMBERED! Almost 50 years later I can still remember the ones who cared enough to help my sisters and I. Donations and money are needed, but CARING is something that money cannot buy. A donation for Christmas Presents is something that makes us all feel good inside, but a ride to church, or to home from church, has lasted me a lifetime. Since my sons are grown, my wife and I tend to eat lunch after church and go home and take a nap. But, after reflection on my life, I think we will find some "kids" every now and then who are at church with no parents and carry them to lunch! A little "PAYBACK" if you will (2 Cor 9)!! Time INVESTED in a child's life will return a dividend that Wall Street dares not compare itself with.