In the excitement and joy of being out Christmas shopping, I was filled with the spirit of the season and oblivious to the ploy of those who go up to holiday shoppers in parking lots and fabricate a sad story to request money until it happened to me. Fortunately, I was not taken by the realistic and believable story.
As I was putting groceries into my car, a supposed fellow shopper approached me when I only had two items left in my shopping cart and asked if they could take the cart for me. I was thrilled and happily accepted their kind gesture as I did not want to leave my personal belongings unattended in the car or take them with me when returning the cart to a designated cart return area.
Prior to his walking away, he began to share with me a very sad and sobering story which, in part, was similar to an experience one of my biological family members recently went through a couple of weeks earlier. I expressed compassion and empathy for his situation. He then proceeded to request of my generosity for an exact amount of money.
In that moment as I had been considering what I could do, it was a tender mercy that instantaneously a quick thought entered my mind to offer a double box of cereal I had just purchased. Upon his turning it down and refusing to accept it, though he expressed deep appreciation for the offer and a hint of emotion was seen in his eyes, it became apparent and very clear to me right then and there through an impressionable feeling that his story was fabricated.
Not only did I offer him the boxes of cereal, I also offered him the bananas that were in my hands or any other food I had just purchased. He graciously accepted two bananas. Immediately following, as a couple of people were walking near us towards the store, he offered the cart to them and then headed in a different direction away from the store.
When I came to realize that his “down on his luck” occurrence was fabricated and the tender mercy it was that I was not taken by the realistic and believable story, the experience left me vigilant and cautious of the potential that it may happen again while I continued to shop at other stores.
When have you almost bought into somebody’s sobering experience before receiving an impressionable feeling that it was not true but rather a ploy for money and you were grateful you were not taken by the realistic and believable story?
tendermercym❤️ments~jld
“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”
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