Do you think a first-class passenger would give you his seat for yours in coach?
Well, it happened to me. Or, I should say, to Rainey who was traveling with me. I usually fly with two friends and when I make cross country flights, one person sits in coach, while the other flies with me in business class -- I have to be able to stretch out when flying across the country, that’s why I use business class. Anyway, this particular flight did not have business; only first-class, so that's what I flew that day. Well, we boarded the plane and Rainey went to the back to get herself settled into her coach seat. After a few minutes and while they were still boarding, she made her way up front to see if my other friend and I were okay. Good thing she did -- I was having such a difficult time trying to get comfortable. Well, my two friends were trying very hard to get my body situated properly in the seat, but just then when they announced we should get in our seats for the plane was ready to take off a first-class passenger sitting across the aisle pulled Rainey aside and said: “Here, you take my seat.”
Obviously he could tell I was in trouble and wanted to help. Rainey tried to tell him I would be okay, but he wouldn’t hear of it. This man wanted to make sure I had the help of both of my friends, not just the one sitting next to me. By then he'd already gotten his coat and briefcase out of the overhead bin and was on his way back to coach to take Rainey’s seat. All three of us were absolutely overwhelmed by this man’s generosity. He traded his first-class seat for hers in coach. After the flight was over I wanted to thank the man, but he disappeared off the plane.
The flight attendants seemed to know who this man was and they explained to us that he was a frequent flyer with that particular carrier and, in fact, he had all his employees fly the same. They described him as a quiet, but very kind and generous man. I don’t know if he was a Christian… I don’t think so, though… when we briefly spoke to him and thanked him in the name of Jesus, he didn’t respond like a brother in Christ might. And that got me to thinking…
Oh, if only more of us as believers related to strangers like that man in first-class related to us. If only generosity like that came as easily… like second nature, like “Here’s a woman with special needs and I can do something to help her… so here, take my first-class seat for the entire cross-country flight!” Proverbs 11 says, “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
Elsewhere in 1 Timothy 6:18-19, it says there, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
Now, friend, I'm not asking you to give up your seat on an airplane (although I do know a friend who, if he knows an American soldier is on board the flight, he will give up his first-class seat for him).Isn’t that great? But there are countless ways you can be generous toward others today. So would you please keep your eyes open and look for the opportunity. Be rich in good deeds, would you? Be generous and willing to share. In this way you’ll be laying up treasure for yourself for the coming age, okay? Not only that, as you refresh others today with an extra measure of generosity, you, too, will be refreshed and you’ll take hold of the life that is truly the good life. You know, if you have done something generous on behalf of someone else like maybe helped a soldier, or such as that man in first-class, I’d love to hear about it. You can always visit me at joniandfriendsradio.org. I’m Joni Eareckson Tada.
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