“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35
I never expected to cry the entire drive home that Christmas Eve. But the lesson the Lord taught me that night has stayed with me ever since.
It was my first year working at St. Jude’s, and the day was a whirlwind of last-minute preparations for the evening service when the phone rang. On the other end was a woman named Shaundra, her voice trembling with panic. She was a single mother with two small children, and her government assistance check—her only means of support—hadn’t arrived. Because of the holiday, it would be days before she saw any money. She wasn’t worried about presents. She was worried about feeding her kids.
Churches and charities often field calls from people who know how to spin a story, but something in my heart told me this was different. There was no sense of entitlement or elaborate tale—just the raw desperation of a mother in need. She wasn’t asking for cash, only food.
I promised I would do what I could and finally broke free around 5 p.m. I pulled $20 from the parish discretionary fund and added some of my own money before heading to the grocery store. I filled a cart with enough food to get them through the holiday and, on a whim, grabbed a couple of small toys so the children would have something to open on Christmas morning.
Simply being obedient to the Lord’s prompting would have been enough, but what happened next made the experience life-changing.
When I called Shaundra to tell her I was on my way, she was already waiting outside. She helped me carry the bags into her apartment, and as soon as I stepped inside, the reality of her situation hit me. The apartment was almost bare—just mattresses on the floor and a tiny plastic table with a couple of chairs. The refrigerator was nearly empty. I knew in that moment, with absolute certainty, that God had placed me in her path. Without this small act of kindness, a mother and her children would have gone hungry on Christmas Day.
As I drove home, tears streamed down my face. It wasn’t Shaundra and her children who had received the biggest gift that night. No matter what waited for me under the tree, the greatest gift I received was the profound, humbling joy of being able to give.
When I shared the story with my wife and daughter, they were as moved as I was. Inspired, we decided to make a surprise return visit. We brought a couple of chairs we had planned to donate, and Lizzi, my daughter, asked if she could bring some of her own stuffed animals and toys for the children. Watching her so readily embrace the spirit of generosity filled me with a pride that eclipsed everything else.
I did see Shaundra one more time. A few months later, she called and asked if she could borrow $100. I was nervous, but I remembered Christmas Eve and decided to help. The following week she called again, saying she had the money to pay me back. When I arrived, several people were sitting outside, including her uncle. He pulled out a handful of $20 bills, pressed them into my hand, and thanked me for looking after his niece.
Over the seven years I served at St. Jude’s, I encountered my fair share of people trying to take advantage of the church. But this experience reminded me that there are still those who are genuine, good, and deeply grateful.
That Christmas Eve wasn’t just about helping a stranger. It was about witnessing faith in action, experiencing the deep joy of obedience, and watching that same spirit of generosity take root in my own family. It’s a gift that continues to give—one that no wrapped package could ever match.
