A Glimmer of Hope

Do you ever lose faith in mankind? Looking around your neighborhood, city, state, even your own family and think lord help us all we're going to hell in a hand basket. I do. But then God shows up and in a big way.
This morning I received a text from a dear friend of mine, we normally text everyday, so this was nothing out of the ordinary.
She was telling me about this elderly man, most likely in his 80's, he was dining alone and very grumpy. She felt compelled to pay for his meal. She stated he was wearing a wedding ring but dining alone. She said, so am I but he seemed so down. I said maybe his wife is in a nursing home or hospital. You never know what someone else is going through. She and I have had our share of despondent moments over the past 3 years.
She said she felt led to pay his bill and hoped it helped him out. It's called paying it forward. Where you do something nice for someone without their knowledge expecting nothing in return. I have done this at drive thru restaurants and have had it done for me. It always comes as a surprise and at just the right time.
There is so much hate, anger, destruction and down and out sadness in the world today but this made me smile. It also reminded me that God is in control BUT we still have a job to do. Be kind, love one another and give generously. 
I will never forget Thanksgiving 2016. The incident was just a couple of days before Thanksgiving. I had gotten of work and was at the grocery store. For whatever reason I did not have my debit card. Thankfully I had some cash but not enough. I was buying food for Thanksgiving. Embarrassed I asked the cashier to remove items until I could pay. I told him I lived right around the corner and would be right back. I'm sure he didn't believe me but it was true. He was putting things into bags when a gentleman from two registers over came up and said "no no no, ring it all up and I'll pay for it." I was shocked and even more embarrassed. Try as I might to explain to the man what was going on, he just looked at me and said "It's okay, everyone needs Thanksgiving, paid and said Happy Thanksgiving." walked away. I kept trying to tell him, I had the money! Just not on me.
I walked to my car with all the bags and cried the entire time. I was so embarrassed. God spoke to me reminding me of times I had helped others and times when I did NOT have money for food. I asked HIM to bless this man for his kindness and that his generosity would not go unnoticed or rewarded. I have no idea who the man was but it was a blessing. It gave me hope. I had been severely verbally abused earlier that day by someone who claimed to love me. I was feeling less than thankful and honestly a little bitter about buying the food in the first place. The last thing I wanted was to spend thanksgiving with this person.
The generosity of a stranger gave me hope and lifted my spirits. It gave me courage to get out of the situation I was in.
I am forever grateful to the stranger.
So pay it forward folks. You never know the hope you may be passing on. The blessing to a stranger who may be at their end.
Just a glimmer of hope is all some of us need.