In the book, Finding Hope Again, Roy Fairchild told how he had come to Vienna after a two-week illness in a small Austrian village. He had spent most of his money on medical costs and his last cent to take a train to Vienna to try and find his friends with whom he had been traveling.

As he was standing in one of the street car stations in the center of the city, tired, hungry and discouraged, a little old wrinkled lady, one of the ladies whose job was to sweep out the station, came to him and asked him if he were hungry.

Before he could answer she took her own lunch from a brown paper bag and offered him half of it. He said he was so moved by her action that he has never forgotten her face or her kindness and the sparkle in her eye.

They talked for more than an hour about her life. She was raised in the country on a farm knowing only hard work. Since then she had lost her husband and two sons in the Resistance. Only her daughter had survived but she said that she was very thankful for many things.

When asking her why she offered him half her lunch the lady simply said, “Jesu ist mein Herr. Gott ist gut (Jesus is my Lord. God is good).”

This story reminds me of one of my favorite hymns written by Kate B. Wilkinson. Let’s make it our prayer for today and every day:

“Dear God,

May the mind of Christ, my Savior,

Live in me from day to day,

By his love and pow’r controlling,

All I do and say.

May his beauty rest upon me

As I seek the lost to win,

And may they forget the channel,

Seeing only him.

Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 2:4-5 (NIV).