HE IS LIVING FROM THE HAND OF GOD…

“This post is taken from a comment I made in response to a reader and because I wanted to share the main story with more readers, I have posted an amplified version here.”

In the lives of many of us, we have had to move, due to promotions or job losses, possibly even a few times and have seen how much stuff you have amassed and was able to simply throw out. Yet, we look at certain folks and label them as hoarders while to a lesser degree we are alike.

I overheard this discussion on a local radio station, RSG, where they discussed this case: Just 8 months ago, a successful South-African engineer of 50 resigned, gave all his possessions to his parents and close friends including his bank cards. For all intents and purposes, he is quite penniless and homeless. Before giving away all his possessions, he bought a good quality backpack, a pair of trousers, a pair of shoes a jacket, some teeshirts, 6 boxer shorts, and a sleeping bag, a flint firestick, a water bottle, belt, and a pocket knife.

He has been surviving ever since and was being interviewed by a passing motorist who found him walking, next to the road, 800 miles from the nearest town.

He was both physically and emotionally well and, as he put it: “Living by grace and eating from the hand of God.” When asked how he actually survives, he replied that as he traveled, he found ways of being useful to society at large and that he would barter his services in exchange for temporary shelter, a meal, a bath or food for the journey, basically whatever was offered in appreciation of his services. The knowledge gained as a mechanical engineer was his best tool.

 I’m not suggesting we go to such extreme lengths, but when we make a conscious decision to live within our income, I can testify that it is absolutely possible. When I lost my right lower leg, as a type 2 diabetic I went completely blind at the same time, the operations hitting me almost at the same time cleaned out my medical insurance, my wife’s, closed down my cellphone sales and repair business and took my house too. Being the only cellphone technician, was no option for a blind guy.

My eye ops luckily restored my sight but we were down, and pretty much, out of home and hearth. That was about 13 years ago. we, my dearest, and I know how to survive on a total of $200 per month and are living proof today, that God really does provide, maybe not what we would like to have, but whatever we really need, he gives us. All he asks of us in return is that we trust him. It’s the one thing mankind finds the hardest to do…