When A Hell’s Angel Gives A Widow’s Mite!

TheDiscipleMD

Years ago when I was an insurance agent,  one of my policyholders would bring me old New York Yankee baseball cards (I’m an avid Yankees fan) every time he came in the office. Others have come in and put down on my desk, old baseball coins, cards, pennants and other baseball memorabilia that they have, but somehow feel I would appreciate more. Once a couple, with smiles on their faces, put down on my desk, five New York Yankee Yearbooks from the late 70’s and early 80’s. The wife said, “We have doubles of these and thought you might like them”. I was touched by their thoughtfulness. I recall one policyholder of mine who came into my office with a grin. He was a man about my age, was heavyset, bushy beard, and had long hair that fell from his balding head. He rode a motorcycle and looked and dressed every bit the part of a “Hells Angel”. He didn’t have much as to the things of this world. He put three baseball books down on my desk. They were big “coffee-table” type books. He said with a smile,  “I was grudging through some old books in the local Goodwill Store and saw these. I thought you might like them”.

What I have noticed over the years is that many of these individuals seemed to have little, yet they were thoughtful, and eager to give. Perhaps it is because they were living humble lives and knew, and more importantly, had experienced the value of small acts of kindness. I am reminded of the Savior’s story of the widow.

“And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had” (Luke 21:1-4)

We give gifts each year at Christmas time to celebrate his birth. Too often we get so caught up in the monetary value of the “gifts” we give, that we become simply the “rich men casting (our) gifts into the treasury”. While giving expensive gifts many seem to convey the “value” of our love for others, it really shouldn’t be that way. We can give simple gifts that are meaningful and that convey the true meaning of Christmas. As each year passes I gain a better understanding of the true nature and importance of doing the small things that make me a better Christian and they rarely involve money.

Over the years as these policyholders had come bearing gifts, I was always been touched by their thoughtfulness. The value of what they brought never had a bearing on my gratitude. I put on display every item they brought, from the 1957 Phil Rizzuto baseball card to a bottle cap that used to seal in the carbonation of a 1964 Coca-Cola soda bottle. It bore an image of Elston Howard, the great Yankee catcher underneath.

So as my policyholder, the “Hells Angel”, left my office the that day, I watched from my second story window as he walked out into the parking lot. He put on his helmet, got on his bike and drove away. My office shook when he revved his engine. As I watched him disappear in the distance I thought how small things in life teach you “large” lessons. I never knew I would meet the “widow” of scriptural fame. I never knew the “mite” would be left sitting on my desk. And I never knew that the “widow” would look like a heavy-set balding biker, wearing jeans and a leather jacket while driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle. I just never knew!

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