Joseph's mite

One of the first members we met, and anyone meets, at Mount Dora is Joseph. Mount Dora has official greeters every week who rotate in the duty, but Joseph is "on duty" every week with an outstretched hand, a big smile, and a slightly garbled "Hi." I don't know how old Joseph is; it's hard to tell. His speech is hard to understand. He rides a bike to and from worship and is there whenever the doors are open. I ask him how he is and he shrugs a little and says, "Some pain." Truth is, he's in pain pretty much all the time, but (perhaps because he's one of society's fringe folk) he doesn't get much attention for it. He has some sort of job, I think, but it doesn't provide much. The folks here at MD are more aware of Joseph's needs so I haven't been too nosey. But the reason I write about him is because of something that occurred tonight.

I saw him this morning bringing grocery bags of wrapped gifts into the foyer. I didn't know what that was all about but didn't feel the "need to know" - maybe not my business. But tonight I saw him carrying some and offered to help him carry them wherever he was taking them. He accepted my offer to help and asked me to read the labels to tell him who they were for. As I assisted, I began to understand that Joseph had brought these gifts for the members. Each grocery bag contained one or more individually wrapped, tagged, and bowed gifts for various members of the church here. What? How did Joseph earn the money to buy whatever was in these bags? How did he buy and transport them to his home (by bicycle)? Who helped him wrap and label (and read the names from the directory?) each gift? (I know he has friends in the community who assist him in various ways as folks from the church do.) Some recipients, with a gentle, grateful smile, called him Santa Joseph. Soon it was time for worship and I excused myself to take my seat. He thanked my afterwards for my help.

I am reminded of the widow's mite. From my abundance, I have purchased and will wrap, bow, and label gifts for my family. I tried to stay within my budget, but I didn't have to sacrifice financially to give to my loved ones. From his limited means, Joseph gifted his spiritual family. I'm sure he sacrificed, but I sensed in him a quiet joy to have an opportunity to give. The modern day widow's mite. Something to think about.