The universe operates like a giant mirror.
What I give, I receive.
Most of what happens to me is simply a reflection of what I've been giving to the universe.
People ask me why my life is so profoundly blessed.
One reason is because I've been giving.
I remember one old story I'd like to share with you…
Trip To Jerusalem
When I was 16 years old, I won a trip to Jerusalem from a Bible Quiz on national TV.
Not the "Trip to Jerusalem" where kids circle around chairs.
I really won a trip to Israel.
It was the first time I was going to travel, and I was going to travel all by myself for 41 days, visiting 20 cities all over Europe.
Obviously, as a 16 years old backpacker, I was scared and excited at the same time.
My mother sewed a hidden pouch on my socks and inserted my dollars there. Because they were very few.
Her instructions to me, "Don't stay in hotels, stay in convents. Don't eat in restaurants, buy your food and eat on park benches."
My first stopover was Athens, Greece.
I sat in the airport, waiting for my flight to Israel, when a somewhat plumpish woman came walking towards me carrying two huge suitcases.
I ran to help out. I said, "Madame, can I help carry your things?"
She didn't understand a word I said.
I knew a little Spanish, so I asked, "Puedo llevar tus cosas?"
She also didn't understand.
Being charismatic, I was tempted to speak in tongues.
But decided against it.
Instead, I used the universal language.
I held up my hands as though I was carrying two suitcases.
Immediately, she understood.
She handed me her suitcases, thinking perhaps I was a porter.
I then moved my hand like it were a plane, made the "whoooo" sound, and said, "Jerusalem."
Her face lit up.
She did the hand action of a plane, the "whoooo" sound of a plane, and said, "Jerusalem!"
We were going to the same place.
We walked to the airline counter.
I gave my ticket and the kindly gentleman gave me my boarding pass.
I was ready to fly.
It was the woman's turn.
She handed her ticket with a smile.
The man read her ticket, shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry Ma'am, this is an invalid ticket. You can't ride this plane."
"Buy Her A Ticket!"
She couldn't understand him.
They had to get a translator, what language I have no idea, to tell her that she had to buy a new ticket if she wanted to fly.
Tearfully, she told them that she had no money.
And that this was a stop over for her too, so she was stranded.
The man behind the counter raised their hands in surrender, telling her they couldn't do anything about it.
She picked up her suitcases from me.
She walked to a corner of the airport, sat down, and wept loudly.
I watched her from the distance.
How could I leave her like this?
But what could a 16 year old kid do?
So I prayed, "Lord, what do you want me to do?"
I learned that was a very dangerous question to ask.
Don't take it flippantly.
Because in my heart, I felt God tell me, "Buy her a ticket."
Didn't He know that my dollars was in my socks?
I walked up to the counter guy and asked, "How much is a ticket to Israel?"
He said, "$256".
Gulp.
But I knew in my heart that I had to do it.
A Miracle Happens
I walked up to the weeping lady.
Through sign language, I told her I was going to buy her a ticket. (I tapped my back pocket and did my plane hand action again.)
She understood me immediately.
She literally jumped for joy and hugged me.
I disappeared in her embrace.
Gently, I brought her down.
I checked for broken bones and found none.
We both walked to the counter.
"Sir," I announced, "I'm buying a plane ticket for this lady."
The man gasped. He asked, "Do you know her?"
"No, I don't. I just met her here."
He shook his head. "Are you rich?"
I smiled. "No. But my Father is rich!"
He didn't want to sell me a ticket.
He called his big boss.
In a few minutes, the man marched in and they both argued our situation.
Finally, when our flight was about to go, I thought I heard the big boss sighed in exasperation and said, "Okay. Let the lady fly. But don't let this stupid guy pay!"
I couldn't believe it.
They were letting her have a free ride.
My dollars remained safely in my socks.
Both of us boarded the plane.
We even sat beside each other and prayed together.
I was sixteen when this happened.
You can imagine the impact this event had in my young life.
I learned that if we give, God will see us through.
I learned that giving will open my life to His miracles.
That is why to this day, giving has become a lifestyle.
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