Was this a sign from God?

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

A strange thing happened the other day which made me believe was a sign from God. I was hanging around the house most of the day working on some projects. Occasionally I'd look out the window across the street to the school grounds playing fields to see what was going on. I noticed a young girl sitting on the ground at the foot of the bleachers. She had been there most of the day. I thought, how can anyone sit there all day like that, she must be homeless and has no place to go. After a while I was thoroughly convinced she was homeless and felt I should do something. I thought about what I could do to help her, and decided. I have $200 in my wallet and don't need it that much, I'll give her $200, then chiseled it down to $100, maybe more. So I walked over and asked if she was lost or something. She said she wasn't lost Relieved, I said ok and started to walk back. On the way back I noticed an emblem lying on the curb of the street. It was one of those Christian fish emblems. I'd never seen any Christian emblems lying around before. So what are the odds there would be one sitting there at the time I did something "Christian" and then for me to walk right over it after completing my "Christian" task. I took it as a sign that I had done ok.

Daemon Sophic · Sep 21, 2017

Once, is luck.
Twice, is coincidence.
More is a plot.

You willingly arranging to give a total stranger $100 does strike me in several ways however.
1. Highly commendable. Kudos. (Although your OP suggests that you did not in fact give the cash to the girl.)
2. Raises questions of your stability/impulsiveness.

God as you understand it is to be omnipotent. Tossing an emblem on the ground seems rather banal for such a being. Tossing the winning lottery ticket on the ground, which you would then share with the girl, who would also happen to be your lifelong soul mate.......THAT'S a sign of divine intervention.......or just luck.

BSM1 · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
A strange thing happened the other day which made me believe was a sign from God. I was hanging around the house most of the day working on some projects. Occasionally I'd look out the window across the street to the school grounds playing fields to see what was going on. I noticed a young girl sitting on the ground at the foot of the bleachers. She had been there most of the day. I thought, how can anyone sit there all day like that, she must be homeless and has no place to go. After a while I was thoroughly convinced she was homeless and felt I should do something. I thought about what I could do to help her, and decided. I have $200 in my wallet and don't need it that much, I'll give her $200, then chiseled it down to $100, maybe more. So I walked over and asked if she was lost or something. She said she wasn't lost Relieved, I said ok and started to walk back. On the way back I noticed an emblem lying on the curb of the street. It was one of those Christian fish emblems. I'd never seen any Christian emblems lying around before. So what are the odds there would be one sitting there at the time I did something "Christian" and then for me to walk right over it after completing my "Christian" task. I took it as a sign that I had done ok.

So why the heck was she sitting there all day? C'mon, bro, don't leave us hangin'.

SalixIncendium · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
A strange thing happened the other day which made me believe was a sign from God. I was hanging around the house most of the day working on some projects. Occasionally I'd look out the window across the street to the school grounds playing fields to see what was going on. I noticed a young girl sitting on the ground at the foot of the bleachers. She had been there most of the day. I thought, how can anyone sit there all day like that, she must be homeless and has no place to go. After a while I was thoroughly convinced she was homeless and felt I should do something. I thought about what I could do to help her, and decided. I have $200 in my wallet and don't need it that much, I'll give her $200, then chiseled it down to $100, maybe more. So I walked over and asked if she was lost or something. She said she wasn't lost Relieved, I said ok and started to walk back. On the way back I noticed an emblem lying on the curb of the street. It was one of those Christian fish emblems. I'd never seen any Christian emblems lying around before. So what are the odds there would be one sitting there at the time I did something "Christian" and then for me to walk right over it after completing my "Christian" task. I took it as a sign that I had done ok.

Perhaps it meant you were supposed to have fish for dinner. I hope you did, as the consequences of not doing so could be dire!

I'd like to commend you for your selfless gesture, but I am compelled to say that giving to those in need isn't just a "Christian" concept.

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

BSM1 said:
So why the heck was she sitting there all day? C'mon, bro, don't leave us hangin'.

I don't know

Terese · Sep 21, 2017

Are you sure she wasn't lost? She may have said that to avoid talking to a stranger. Not that it's your fault, of course

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

Thief said:
nah.....

and if you get caught handing a little girl money........OH! oh!.......

I regard a sign from God as something you CANNOT doubt
like walking away from a car accident....and you KNOW.....it should have killed you

or suffering the illness of a loved one.....an illness that could kill.....
I lost my voice for three days
did not eat
and suffered within

she survived
the tumor was removed
no chemo.....no radiation

as for me.....I suffered like never before
and the next occasion
I might not survive
that hurt....................

some say empathy is a gift

maybe

I have walked away from a car crash that should have killed me. All I had was a scratch on me knee and a hangover. I also had a sign once, a friend and I were taking turns riding on the roof of the car flying down a country highway. I don't know why but all a sudden I thought I should slow down so I slowed down with my friend riding on the roof. Moments later the road ended at a T intersection. He would have been killed. I wasn't as impressed with that as a sign as I was the fish symbol.

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

Terese said:
Are you sure she wasn't lost? She may have said that to avoid talking to a stranger. Not that it's your fault, of course

I was sure because she had a phone on speaker and she was talking to her dad on the other end. She called him dad and I could hear his voice.

Unveiled Artist · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
A strange thing happened the other day which made me believe was a sign from God. I was hanging around the house most of the day working on some projects. Occasionally I'd look out the window across the street to the school grounds playing fields to see what was going on. I noticed a young girl sitting on the ground at the foot of the bleachers. She had been there most of the day. I thought, how can anyone sit there all day like that, she must be homeless and has no place to go. After a while I was thoroughly convinced she was homeless and felt I should do something. I thought about what I could do to help her, and decided. I have $200 in my wallet and don't need it that much, I'll give her $200, then chiseled it down to $100, maybe more. So I walked over and asked if she was lost or something. She said she wasn't lost Relieved, I said ok and started to walk back. On the way back I noticed an emblem lying on the curb of the street. It was one of those Christian fish emblems. I'd never seen any Christian emblems lying around before. So what are the odds there would be one sitting there at the time I did something "Christian" and then for me to walk right over it after completing my "Christian" task. I took it as a sign that I had done ok.

I had to think about this a bit from how I see things in my faith. Though, the context is similar.

Call this a sign from god, if you will to compare. I'll keep it short.

I've followed Buddhist teachings for almost five years. I've practiced two separate sects for three years all together. I was initiated as a vietnamese zen buddhist at our local temple last month. While there, during a ceremony, one of the practitioners found out through word of mouth (like everyone talks on a phone line) that I took a $26 cab ride there. All together, $60 round trip for all day ceremony. I had the money.

Long story short, after eating, one woman came to me with an envelop. She says "we [who'se we??

confused] heard you took a cab here. Here is some money to get back. She left the way she came like an angel or something. I opened the envelop it was a $50 bill. I'd thought it was say five dollars, ten at most. Fifty! I even got a ride hope so I didn't spend it.

Fast forward on the bus, I spoke with a christian bus passenger I spoke with a couple of times. I told him, what should I do with the money? I don't want to spend it. I set it under my Buddha statue and all I could say was thank you.

So he says to me (and to you) if god gives you a blessing-say a thought to give the money to the young child-don't give away that blessing. God gave that thought, that unconditional care to you. So, there are no reservations to extending that charity. If you saw a homeless person on the street and saw a beer in his hand, that doesn't mean he is not homeless. Charity has no reservations.

So, I would have given the girl the money because that is what god told you to do. Chistling it to $100 dollars, I'd be iffy, but I don't think god has charity requirements on how much but that you give the charity regardless. Some homeless people (and people lonely in general) just want someone to talk to. It also depends on how old the girl was. If you felt uncomfortable giving her the money, maybe give her your time instead.

But her being homeless or not doesn't invalidate god telling you to do something for this girl.

I don't know what I will do with the money the Buddhist gave me. It's just sitting there. Who would sit with a $50 bill in front of them knowing they are flat broke?!

Yeah, signs from god (or signs in general) come daily. Our minds like to decipher why this sign, is it a sign, let's break it apart to make it not a sign.

Keep the money just in case someone else needs it. At least a portion of it. Maybe god is telling you to give.

Listen out.

DavidFirth · Sep 21, 2017

It could have been a sign, maybe not. I would thank God for the opportunity to do something for someone and thank Him for the sign, if He sent it. Regardless, you were tested and you did well.

Good job.

Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Thief · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
I have walked away from a car crash that should have killed me. All I had was a scratch on me knee and a hangover. I also had a sign once, a friend and I were taking turns riding on the roof of the car flying down a country highway. I don't know why but all a sudden I thought I should slow down so I slowed down with my friend riding on the roof. Moments later the road ended at a T intersection. He would have been killed. I wasn't as impressed with that as a sign as I was the fish symbol.

i see you caught my post before I deleted it.....
ok......

my accident put my face into the dash.....60 to 0
by all the test that the gov does on vehicle safety....crash test dummies and compartment fails

I should be dead

and various other 'accidents' have shaped my spirit like no other
(yes I am unique.....I know it)

I've been blind seven days
a freak accident put me under bandages

I know my limbs when they do not respond
paralysis
and somehow i recovered

several other mishaps and somehow I came right up to my feet......and walked away

charmed life?
doesn't feel like it

so the book of Job rings a bell in my ears

loudly

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

Carlita said:
I had to think about this a bit from how I see things in my faith. Though, the context is similar.

Call this a sign from god, if you will to compare. I'll keep it short.

I've followed Buddhist teachings for almost five years. I've practiced two separate sects for three years all together. I was initiated as a vietnamese zen buddhist at our local temple last month. While there, during a ceremony, one of the practitioners found out through word of mouth (like everyone talks on a phone line) that I took a $26 cab ride there. All together, $60 round trip for all day ceremony. I had the money.

Long story short, after eating, one woman came to me with an envelop. She says "we [who'se we?? confused] heard you took a cab here. Here is some money to get back. She left the way she came like an angel or something. I opened the envelop it was a $50 bill. I'd thought it was say five dollars, ten at most. Fifty! I even got a ride hope so I didn't spend it.

Fast forward on the bus, I spoke with a christian bus passenger I spoke with a couple of times. I told him, what should I do with the money? I don't want to spend it. I set it under my Buddha statue and all I could say was thank you.

So he says to me (and to you) if god gives you a blessing-say a thought to give the money to the young child-don't give away that blessing. God gave that thought, that unconditional care to you. So, there are no reservations to extending that charity. If you saw a homeless person on the street and saw a beer in his hand, that doesn't mean he is not homeless. Charity has no reservations.

So, I would have given the girl the money because that is what god told you to do. Chistling it to $100 dollars, I'd be iffy, but I don't think god has charity requirements on how much but that you give the charity regardless. Some homeless people (and people lonely in general) just want someone to talk to. It also depends on how old the girl was. If you felt uncomfortable giving her the money, maybe give her your time instead.

But her being homeless or not doesn't invalidate god telling you to do something for this girl.

I don't know what I will do with the money the Buddhist gave me. It's just sitting there. Who would sit with a $50 bill in front of them knowing they are flat broke?!

Yeah, signs from god (or signs in general) come daily. Our minds like to decipher why this sign, is it a sign, let's break it apart to make it not a sign.

Keep the money just in case someone else needs it. At least a portion of it. Maybe god is telling you to give.

Listen out.

I don't know, I think it's the thought that counts. That I was ready and willing to help if necessary. I know the scripture says " A person who sees the good he ought to do and does it not sins". So since I believed she might be homeless I was required to do something, then finding out she wasn't I was free from that requirement.

SalixIncendium · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
I have walked away from a car crash that should have killed me. All I had was a scratch on me knee and a hangover. I also had a sign once, a friend and I were taking turns riding on the roof of the car flying down a country highway. I don't know why but all a sudden I thought I should slow down so I slowed down with my friend riding on the roof. Moments later the road ended at a T intersection. He would have been killed. I wasn't as impressed with that as a sign as I was the fish symbol.

How are these signs from God?

SalixIncendium · Sep 21, 2017

Thief said:
i see you caught my post before I deleted it.....
ok......

my accident put my face into the dash.....60 to 0
by all the test that the gov does on vehicle safety....crash test dummies and compartment fails

I should be dead

and various other 'accidents' have shaped my spirit like no other
(yes I am unique.....I know it)

I've been blind seven days
a freak accident put me under bandages

I know my limbs when they do not respond
paralysis
and somehow i recovered

several other mishaps and somehow I came right up to my feet......and walked away

charmed life?
doesn't feel like it

so the book of Job rings a bell in my ears

loudly

Are you attributing the recovery of these circumstances acts of God...that He was somehow looking out for you?

Thief · Sep 21, 2017

SalixIncendium said:
Are you attributing the recovery of these circumstances acts of God...that He was somehow looking out for you?

YEAH

Kemosloby · Sep 21, 2017

SalixIncendium said:
How are these signs from God?

Well, the odds make it seem like someone was looking out for me. And a sign not to expect it twice.

BSM1 · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
I don't know

Aaaaargh.....

SalixIncendium · Sep 21, 2017

Thief said:
YEAH

OKAY. HOLD ON A SEC WHILE I TURN THE MUSIC DOWN SO WE DON'T HAVE TO YELL...

...Okay, that's better.

So help me to understand, if God was really looking out for you and had your best interests in mind, why did He...

...allow you to be in the car accident to begin with?

...allow you to be blinded to begin with?

...allow you to be paralyzed to begin with?

I'm doing my best to understand why people said it was an act of God that saved them from a horrible tragedy. I would assume, if God has the power to save these people, why he doesn't simply prevent the event that led to the tragedy to from happening to begin with.

SalixIncendium · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
Well, the odds make it seem like someone was looking out for me. And a sign not to expect it twice.

If someone had the power to look out for you, wouldn't it make sense that they would have the power to...

prevent the events from taking place to begin with?
look out for you again?

Stanyon · Sep 21, 2017

Kemosloby said:
It was one of those Christian fish emblems. I'd never seen any Christian emblems lying around before. So what are the odds there would be one sitting there at the time I did something "Christian" and then for me to walk right over it after completing my "Christian" task. I took it as a sign that I had done ok.

Deleted some of your post just to save space
I'm not a Christian myself but it is good to hear that a human being was genuinely concerned about another human being without any expectation of reward, I see this as a completely normal and well adjusted thing to do regardless of the belief system.

Was this a sign from God?

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