A Rich Woman Helps A Homeless Man For A Beautiful Reason
GodUpdates Contributor
February 07, 2016
A Rich Woman Helps A Homeless Man
Kindness is like a boomerang -- it comes back to you. In a story making the rounds on Facebook, a rich woman helps a homeless man. But it's not just because she's a nice lady. No, there's a very specific reason that this particular rich woman helps this particular homeless man. And it's a great lesson for all of us. Read on to discover the motivation behind the woman's good deed. . .Like many inspiring movies and books, this short story may be fictional. However, the impact that this work will have on its readers is very real. Enjoy!
Credit: ThinkStock "Good morning," said a woman as she walked up to a man sitting on a bench. The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. [rsnippet id="3" name="Article-Ad"] His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled. . . To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling. . .her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. Credit: ThinkStock "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone." Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile." "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it." Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. . . The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this? Is this man in trouble?" "This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered. "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business." Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place." The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled... "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms." "And do you make a godly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?" "What business is that of yours?" "I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company." "Oh." The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?" "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?" "Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice." The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer." The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said. "That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently... "Jack, do you remember me?" Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so - I mean you do look familiar." "I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry." "Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry. [rsnippet id="2" name="ArticleAd-300x250-3"] "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat." Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said.. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy." "I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right." "So you started your own business?" Old Jack said. "I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons... He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet... If you ever need anything, my door is always open to you." There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said. "Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus...... He led me to you." Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways.... "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And.. And thank you for the coffee."
While Penelope Eddy is, in fact, a real person, it's unclear as to whether or not the story above truly happened. But even as a fictional account, the lesson is just as real. By blessing others, you too will be blessed. Even something seen as a small act at the time -- something later forgotten by the giver -- just might be a blessing someone else will never forget. Kindness is contagious, so get out there and spread some!
"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it." Proverbs 11:25-26 "Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously." 2 Corinthians 9:6
See what nurses were surprised to find after one man passed away in the nursing home.
h/t: FacebookSee what this nun stumbled upon when praying in the woods!
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Generosity Like the Wise Men - Your Daily Prayer - December 4
Read Today's DevotionalToday's Devotional
A Prayer for Generosity Like the Wise Men - Your Daily Prayer - December 4
Read Today's DevotionalPast Stories
December 2025
- Mom Thought Her Son Was Dead, But God Worked a Miracle, and His Life Was Saved
- Senior Couple Met at the YMCA, Then Get Married in the YMCA Pool
- Hawaii Lifeguard Still Recovering 11 Days After Shark Attack Describes the Moment It Struck
- Woman Gets a Glimpse of the Past When She Finds a Love Letter From WWI in Her Attic
- He’s 98, a WWII Vet, And Finds Joy Working at Lowes 3 Days a Week
- After Being Diagnosed With Autism at 3, One Man is Following His Dreams and Inspiring Others
November 2025
- Texas Woman Finds Her Wedding Ring After Thinking Everything Was Lost in a Fire
- This Christmas, the Widow of a Beloved Santa Receives a Gift That Reminds Her She’s Not Alone
- She Wasn't Supposed to Live Past 4, Now at 20, Woman Born Without a Brain Is a Living Miracle
- Family’s Tree Will Shine for Millions: Widow and Son Donate 2025 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
- From a DNA Match, a Woman Meets Her Biological Father For the First Time
- Nearing 100, Dick Van Dyke Says the Secret to His Long Life Is Simple: ‘Never Stop Singing'
- When Floodwaters Rose, One Teen’s Courage Became a Lifeline for Strangers
- 2-Year-Old Mini Goldendoodle Alerts Family of House Fire Saving Their Lives
- Police Show Grace and Humor After Teens Toilet Paper Their Headquarters
- First Responders Pull 40-Pound Dog to Safety After Cliff Fall in San Francisco
- Volunteer Firefighter Overcomes Tragedy to Serve Her Community Again
- When Mom Suffered a Seizure, Her 3-Year-Old Son’s FaceTime Call Saved Her Life
- Teenager Opens Up Burger Joint and Gives Back By Offering Free Meals to Veterans All Year Long
- Idaho Man is Rewarded For His Act of Kindness by Mowing a Stranger's Lawn
- A Girl's Volleyball Team in Texas Raises Money to Buy Their Custodian a Car
- After Decades Apart, God Leads a Cancer Warrior Back to Her Birth Mother
- Mother Notices Something Isn't Right With Her Daughter's School Bus and Saves 22 Children
- Lost Dog is Found Using His 93-Year-Old Owner's Dirty Socks
- At 80, She Became the Oldest Woman to Hike the Appalachian Trail
- In Their Grief, These Parents Found Hope, When Their Son’s Organs Saved More Than 100 Lives
- Wild Bear Finds His Way Into a Zoo and Starts Mingling With the Locals
- She’s 101, Still Working Six Days a Week—and Says She Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way
- Retired Teacher Needed a Kidney, and a Former Student Answered the Call
- When a Dog Fell Into Danger, This Officer Dove In to Save Him Without Hesitation
- 10-Year-Old Florida Girl Scout Saves Her Father's Life Using Her First Aid Training
October 2025
- Two-Year-Old Found By A Volunteer and K-9 After She Wandered Off and Was Missing For Hours
- Family and Friends Celebrate the Life of a Woman Who Loved So Deeply
- North Carolina Couple Win the Lottery and Can Finally Go On Their Honeymoon After 31 Years
- Quick-Thinking California Teens Rescue Surfer After Ocean Injury
- 8-Year-Old Boy With Rare Health Condition Experiences Life as a Firefighter for a Day
- British Man and His Skydiving Instructor Survive Falling 11,000 ft to the Ground After Malfunction
- He Was Having a Heart Attack, Then His Next Door Neighbor Came and Saved His Life
- 23-Year-Old Who Lost Both Parents in the Same Month is Now Guardian of His Little Brothers
- Her Dog Was Finally Found 2,000 Miles From Home After Going Missing During a Storm
- Brothers Out on a Walk Didn't Think Twice about Saving a Drowning Boy
- Young Man and His Father Help Their Community by Providing Free Lawn Care to Those in Need
- Nursing Home Resident in Indiana Gets a Touch of Disney Magic Without Leaving Home
- Police Dog Earns Yummy Reward From McDonald's When He Finds a Missing Man With Dementia
- Young Son Steps Up to Help His Dad Fight Cancer at Just 9 Years Old
- After 50 Years, Man Reunites With Brother Taken From His Mother's Arms Through a Train Window
- Pen Pals Who Never Stopped Writing Finally Meet in England After 51 Years
- For His 103rd Birthday, One Veteran Got the NASCAR Moment of a Lifetime
- School Bus Driver Helps Young Boy Grieve the Loss of His Papa
- He Fell to the Ground in TJ Maxx and a Stranger Rushed to Help
Top Artists
Top Music Videos
toby mac TobyMac Drops ‘a Lil Church’ Official Lyric Video
Universal Music Group William Murphy’s ‘It Is Well’ Performance Will Give You Chills
Anne Wilson Anne Wilson's 'God Story' Lyric Video Inspires and Uplifts with Every Line
Universal Music Group Blessing Offor Moves Hearts with Powerful 'Crying Out Loud'
Universal Music Group Ariel Fitz-Patrick - Zion
Blog
At GodTube, you’ll find daily inspirational videos to lift your spirits and encourage you in your walk with God. Popular videos include worship music from your favorite Christian artists, cute videos with adorable kids and animals, hilarious videos from Christian comedians, user-uploaded videos, and clean viral videos to brighten your day.