My Dilemma

We've probably all read the verse, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 2:35).

A lady from church asked me to do her a favor. She is a border-line diabetic and needs to check her blood sugar but she didn't know how to do the accuchecks. She didn't want to go back and tell her doctor she didn't understand how to do it. So she asked me if I would show her how. She was very apologetic about asking me, saying she knew how "busy" I was and she hated to "bother" me. I assured her that I would be more than happy to show her how it worked.

The next evening I stopped by her home. We sat down at the dining room table and I showed her and her husband how to do the accuchecks. They seemed to understand with no problem when shown how, but trying to read through 100 pages of instructions had been too confusing! I said I understood completely because I, too, am a visual person and find things much easier to understand if someone can just show me how something works rather than just telling me.

After spending a little time with them, I felt sure they understood how it all worked. As I was getting ready to leave, she offered me an envelope to thank me for all the "trouble" I had gone through. She was very adamant that I take the envelope. She kept saying "Oh please, I wish you would!" as she kept pushing the envelope towards me. I was just as determined that I did NOT want to take that envelope. I didn't want her to PAY me for what I did. My reward was in knowing that what was such a little thing to me, meant a lot to her! It made me feel good to be able to help her.

Today I received a Thank You card in the mail with $25 in it! I don't want to insult her by giving the money back to her, but I don't feel right keeping it either. Should I now thank her for the money? I just wish that people would learn to accept an act of kindness from others. If someone does something nice for you, learn to say "thank you" and remember, they more than likely have received all the reward they need.