You Have Not Because You Ask Not!

Recently, during a trip to Louisiana to visit my parents, I went into a local grocery store with my mom to pick up a few items. While there, we noticed two little boys sitting in a shopping cart with their backs facing the front of the cart and their faces facing their mother, who was pushing the buggy. (I wish I would have had my camera with me!) Now I know you’re thinking, “What’s so special or unique about that?” Well the thing that caught our attention was the fact that their mother had piled the cart up with groceries to the point where they could not move! One was complaining about the cold chicken on his legs.

Mom and I spoke to the little boys, and the mother told us that she could not shop unless she “kept” them in the buggy. We finished paying for our groceries and mom ran into a neighboring store while I went to move the car.

As I opened the door of the car, I noticed the two little boys running full-speed out of the grocery store. The first thing that came to my mind was the words of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, “Free at Last! Free at Last . . .!” Before I could get the door of the car shut, the oldest of the two “released” boys came running up to me. I made a kind comment to him about his being able to run freely and he looked up at me and asked, “You gotta dolla?”

His request took me by surprise and the first thought that came to my mind was, “You little beggar!” Then quickly the Lord reminded me, “You have no because you ASK NOT”

I smiled, reached for my purse, and told him that I did have a “dolla” and also had one for his little brother. Before I could get the bill out of my purse, he made a second request, “You got five dolla?” I informed him that he would be getting A DOLLA, not FIVE!

He grabbed the “dollas” from my hand and ran to the van where an elderly woman was sitting. I saw him give his little brother the other “dolla” and then mouthed “Thank You” at the prompting of his grandmother.

When we got back to my parent’s place, I shared the episode with my husband and daughter. The first words out of my daughter’s mouth was, “Can I have a car!”

The whole incident was worth the $2.00 because I was reminded that God wants to bless us. He just likes to hear us ask!!! It also made me laugh and smile. That was probably worth 5 dollas!