Lesson from a Homeless Gentleman

Several weeks ago, the girls and I were in the area of 6th and Grant so we decided to go eat at Moe's Bagels. I used to eat there a lot when I worked for Interlink. Moe's is next door to Q-Doba's Mexican Restaurant. As I was parking the car, I noticed a homeless man sitting outside of Moe's with his back against the wall. He was extremely weathered looking, with sun-damaged pigmented skin that looked like un-oiled leather, with tattered and dirty clothes, with long achromatic scraggly hair and a long beard. Before getting out of the car, I reached inside my purse to see if I had any change when I remembered cleaning out my purse the night before, getting rid of all the heavy change that sits at the bottom. As the girls and I walked by the gentleman, he asked me if I had a dollar I could give to him. I told him that I did not have any money with me but that we were going to Moe's to have a bagel and that I'd be happy to buy him lunch. He paused for a moment and said "okay, but I usually eat at Q-Doba's!" I thought, well, I guess if someone is willing to buy you lunch, you might as well ask for what you want right? I replied "well sir, I have to use my credit card today and we are eating bagels so if that suits you, we'll be happy to get you something." He said "okay." The girls and I enjoyed our lunch and purchased a turkey bagel sandwich and a drink for the gentleman waiting outside. When we got in the car, "M" commented that the man never said "thank you." I kind of laughed and told her that is was all kind of odd, the fact that he "usually eats at Q-Doba's" and the fact that he didn't seem very appreciative. I knew that there had to be some lesson here but I didn't know who the lesson was for. Was this a lesson for the homeless man to be more grateful? Was this some sort of lesson for the kids? For me? Days passed and it occurred to me that the lesson was definitely for myself and the kids. I realized that sometimes we are called to help. And that's it. We're not supposed to know why. We're not supposed to receive anything in exchange. We're just called to fulfill a need. Its not for us to determine how great the need. Our only appointment is to act when we are called.