Do You Want Chips & a Drink with That?

Dave Ramsey says to put your spending money in envelopes. I had been using the envelope system for several years, including one for food, one for gas, and one for spending money.

This particular week in February 2020, I was down to the wire. It was Thursday, and I had exactly enough cash to get me through to Saturday, including $20 for gas, $4 for tissues, and $13 for lunch at Chipotle the next day. As I left work, I passed a man at a stoplight with a cardboard sign asking for money. I often give folks enough for a meal, but since I didn’t have any excess that day, I drove past him. As I went through the stoplight, I heard the Lord say, “I want you to give him $5.”

“Seriously?! You know things are tight this week. I have it calculated perfectly.”

He said a little more sternly, “I want you to drive back around and give him $5.”

“Okay,” I said. “Do you want more than 5? I could give him 20.”

“No. I want five dollars,” He said.

As I drove back around, I thought, ‘Well I can get less gas, or not have lunch out tomorrow.’

I heard the Lord say, “I’ve got you covered.”

Because I work out of town, and I wasn’t going to be seeing anyone I knew between then and Saturday, I was pretty sure there was no way for that to happen. Maybe I didn’t hear Him right.

I pulled up to the man at the corner, rolled my window down, and held the $5 bill out for him. He stumbled off the curb, nearly falling. He had a glazed look in his eyes, and he had a hard time putting his thumb and index finger together to take the money. As I was driving away, I said to the Lord, “He was totally high! We just gave money to an addict.”

He said, “I know.”

I bought my gas and tissues on the way home. The next day I went to Chipotle, planning to put it on a credit card. The man in front of me pointed to my lunch and said to the cashier, “I’ll get that one too.” I was about to tell him that was mine when he turned to me, smiled a huge smile, and said, “Would you like chips and a drink with that?!” I thanked him several times, mostly because I couldn’t believe what just happened. He turned a little red, paid, and rushed away. I walked out with $8 still in my pocket, marveling at God’s creativity.

-Donna Gates

#godsamazingmiracles #godsprovision