He stormed in, huffing and puffing. His high visibility construction vest glimmered as he passed a row of windows. As he approached me, I could see mud-covered boots and dirty, ragged blue jeans. The sweat and black soot that coated his face and arms were more evidence that this man was fresh off the job.

As he approached the counter, he started to yell, “I need a phone book! Do you have a phone book? Anything, I just need some kind of phone book!”

I acted quickly and handed him a local phonebook. He kept mumbling under his breath that his phone was almost dead. He called a few places but didn’t resolve his situation.

Eventually he returned and said, “Sir, do you know of any place where I can cash this check? The banks are closed, I am almost out of gas, and I need to cash this check.” I explained to him that I knew of a place on the other side of town that could cash his check, but I didn’t think he could make it there on empty. He thanked me and sat back down.

After thinking about ways to help this man, I gave him five dollars to buy enough fuel to cross town and cash the check, embracing Acts 20:35, which says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” With great exuberance, he thanked me again and again and told me that he would be back to pay me back that night. I wondered whether or not he would really return to pay me back. At the end of the night, as I turned off the “Open” sign, I knew this man wasn’t coming back.

When I first loaned the man the money—when he assured me that he would be back that night to repay me—I felt at ease, knowing that he would come back, but I was disappointed when he didn’t return. I was perplexed at the idea that I could give someone money who urgently needed it that night, yet he didn’t come back to repay me.  After a night’s rest, I put the whole situation behind me and just let it all go. Throughout the whole experience, God was teaching me how to give.

About six months later, I stopped at a gas station on a warm summer day. When I walked in, I noticed a young man in work boots and ragged jeans. At first glance, I had no idea who he was, but I knew I had seen him before. When I walked past him a second time, he said, “Who are you? I know you from somewhere.”

Then it hit me. He wasn’t wearing a construction vest or covered in mud, but there was no mistaking him: This was the man!

I was tempted to say, “Yeah, you know me. You owe me five dollars.” Instead, I decided to say, “I think I served you at a restaurant before.”

He excitedly explained to me that he remembered who I was and that he was very grateful for the money I loaned him. He then scurried across the gas station and grabbed his boss.

He explained to his boss what I had done and asked him to pay me back. To my surprise, the man’s boss bought my drink and gave me ten dollars, which was twice the amount I originally gave to the man!

To this day, I don’t understand why everything worked out the way it did, but I did learn an incredible lesson about the way of give.

I realized that too often, I expected to get something back from giving to someone. Through this experience, I learned that having the right attitude in giving is most important. Once I got over my minor frustration with the man not repaying me, I was glad to be able to help him that night. If he wanted to give back to me, he would. If he didn’t, then what did it matter? After all, it was only five dollars. I really did learn to give with the right motive.