I was waiting at the local transit station, waiting for my bus and as I was waiting, I found myself asking (out of nothing else but genuine curiosity), “Lord, is it really true? When we give (and I mean truly give), do we really receive it back in one way or another? I mean like, if we did something for someone when they were in need, will they do the same for us somewhere along the way? And if so, would it be towards a similar need in the future? How does it work?“
Now, the place that I live in isn’t exactly a city. In fact, it really isn’t a city at all; It’s a town. So the amount of regular local transit buses (“long buses”) we have are 8, and only 5 of those run EVERY day. Aside from these buses, there are 2-4 “community” or “special” buses (“short buses”) that only run for a few hours in the day. ALL the local buses also don’t connect to other cities or towns; they run solely within our town. The bus that I take is bus 5. And while I was waiting, I looked around to see 2 short buses. One that just left, and one that was still parked at its bus bay. Then, a while later, I noticed the regular buses pulling into the station…
They all leave around the same time, so I began to look out for a long bus (Bus 5). When the last short bus and a few of the regular buses started to leave, and my bus wasn’t in sight, I decided to ask one of the bus drivers waiting around:
“Excuse me, would you happen to know where bus 5 is, or when it’s coming?“
The bus driver looked around, and I saw him staring at where the short bus used to be.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “it just left!” I was surprised because I actually spent the last 15 minutes, looking at that bus, thinking that it wasn’t my bus yet because it was a short bus! However, there was another bus I could take that would take me to another stop, which would be about a 15-20 minute walk to my house. But when I started inquiring about it, I just saw it leave the station… Oh the luck… hahaha xD
Suddenly, another bus driver cut into our conversation and said, “Excuse me Miss, where are you heading?” I answered, “Philbrook and Hepburn… I actually just missed my bus…” All of a sudden, without any hesitation, he said, “Oh it’s okay! Come with me! I’ll take care of you!”
Now most people would feel uneasy about this, but for some reason, what he said made me feel at peace. So, I thanked the other bus driver and went towards the other bus. When I looked at the sign, I saw a random street on the sign that I wasn’t familiar with (also because this bus route was one of the newest additions), but I thought MAYBE it’s a new route that passes by my area! So, I got on the bus, paid my fare, and took a seat near the front. When we left the station, the bus driver picked up the radio, and next thing I know, HE’S CALLING THE BUS DRIVER OF THE BUS I WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE! O.o He was asking about where he was, and he asked if he could wait at a nearby stop so that he can transfer me onto his bus! …The bus driver… a complete stranger, went out of his way to make sure a passenger would make it home. I could’ve waited for the next bus, but he went out of his way…
Now in my town, the transit system is a little different. When you pay your fare, you can only ride on one bus and make one transfer, ONE WAY. So when he spoke to the other bus driver, he told him to not ask me for any fare, and to just let me on. And just when I thought he couldn’t do any more for me, when we met the other bus, he parked literally RIGHT BESIDE THE OTHER BUS SO THAT I WOULDN’T GET HIT BY ANY VEHICLES DRIVING BY! He also inched a little forward, letting the front peak out, so that there was enough room to open the doors. I got on the bus, and I made it home, safe and sound.
And then that’s when it hit me… When we truly give, it really isn’t what we are giving that matters most… what matters is the very reason we give. What matters is that we are giving out of love. And when we give all our love in that very act of giving, we receive with the very love we gave with. What we are called to give is nothing materialistic, nothing that is monetary, not even the sacrifice of a certain deed alone, but LOVE. So ultimately, what we will always eventually get in return is true, genuine love.
This is when it also dawned on me… All this happened after I asked the Lord about what happens when we give. The moments of love I just witnessed to in that bus driver was God’s answer for me:
“One man gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
another withholds what he should give, and only suffer want.
A liberal man will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered.”
– Proverbs 11: 24-25