One noon during the depression years I was alone in my small duplex apartment when the doorbell rang. On answering it. I found a large rough-looking man at the door, who said, "Madam, will you please give me a dime?" I do not give money to strangers under such circumstances; so I refused his request. As he turned away, however, I had a strong desire to help him; so I prayed, "Father, what can I do for this man?" Very clearly the thought came to me, "Feed him."
I said to the man, "I can't give you money, but if you are hungry, I will gladly share some food with you." He came in, and while he ate I found things to do at the sink. At first he talked a great deal. He said he had lost his job, his home, his wife, and everything that he cared about. Then he told about a man who robbed a woman of her purse as she was getting off a trolley. At this point I felt a little uneasy, but I silently declared the truth concerning man, who is made in God's image and likeness, as I had learned it in Christian Science.
After a little he wanted to know if there was anyone in the house. Suddenly I was filled with fear, but I silently declared that God was with me, guarding and guiding me, and that man, His likeness, was incapable of harming any of God's ideas. All fear left me.
