The Empty Gas Tank Made Me An Odd Duck 1/9/2016

Good Morning,

It was a nice weekend and as all weekends do, this one came to and end. So Monday will be met with prayer, and Door County Inn Keepers Blend Coffee.

Yesterday while running some errands I saw a car stall out in front of me and barely get to the emergency easement on the highway. I noticed a young lady and a child in the car. It only took a second or two to pull over safely and then back up to offer assistance. My car was warm and with the weather we had yesterday it wouldn't take long for her car to get very cold. As I walked up to the car the lady made sure to lock her doors. She looked frightened as I approached her car. Now I am not a handsome dude at all, but she really did not trust anyone approaching her car.

My thought was this. "What a shame that this young lady needs to be afraid of a Good Samaritan offering help." This world is really run down. She let the window down a little and I asked her how I could help. She explained that she believed that she had run out of gas. She had called for road service and they were backed up for two hours. I had only just gotten on to the highway and was not far from home. I let her know that I could give her a blanket and within minutes be back with a can of gasoline. She smiled and said that if the police came first they would help, but she wouldn't mind me trying. I handed the blanket through the window for her and her baby. I was back in under ten minutes and put two gallons of fuel into her car. The vehicle started right away and I was walking away and just waved. The window came down and the lady thanked me and gave me my blanket back. She offered to pay me for the gas and my time. I refused and said the payment for me was to see her leave and get down the road and fill up her gas tank. She said she would.

She smiled for the first time and said. "You won't take payment? Sir you are an odd duck!" Obviously this young lady is not used to random acts of kindness. I for one felt sorry for her. I told her that someday she will be in a position to return the favor to someone else. I laughed and said "Thank you". I then left in my truck and called it a day. But my head processed this encounter all day. 

If performing an act of kindness makes me weird or odd. Then call me a odd and weird. I would rather be odd and weird than to have a frozen heart, never expecting good things to come. I waved, she waved and drove off, but my heart was as empty as that gas tank. I feel sorry for the world we live in.

Proverbs 11:24-25English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁴ One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵ Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
    and one who waters will himself be watered

Be humble and kind despite being weird and odd. I hope our children and grandchildren can experience more of the good things in this world instead of what they see daily. I just heard that a family cancelled a vacation because the kids are afraid to be in an airport. Can't say that I blame them for that.

Marty