A Homeless Man's Good Deed brings Further Blessing

Aimee Herd : Nov 22, 2010
Associated Press

"It really is a lesson to keep your faith in people, and that character exists no matter what the circumstances are."

"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person…" 1Cor.13:7

(Tempe, AZ)—When Dave Talley, an Arizona homeless man ran across a lost backpack containing $3,300 in it, he was faced with weighty moral decision.

According to the AP report, Talley found the backpack this week that had been left behind at a light rail station. He had gone through very difficult times—drug addiction and the loss of his home which had left him on the streets. An amount of money like that would go a long way for him.

But in the end, Talley did the right thing.

"Not everybody on the streets is a criminal," Talley told reporters who caught up with him later. "Most of us have integrity and honor."

Talley brought the backpack to a worker for a homeless advocacy group and together they found its owner, the report stated.

"It's not something I'd wish anybody to have to go through, those are rough choices," Talley noted, regarding his decision to turn in the cash. "There are a lot of things it could have taken care of. But, the fact of the matter was, it was not my money, I didn't earn it."

The owner of the backpack and the money—Arizona State University student Bryan Belanger—was amazed that it was turned in, it had been 5 days since he'd lost it and he didn't expect to see it again.

"This is the greatest thing I've ever experienced I think," said Bryan. "It really is a lesson to keep your faith in people, and that character exists no matter what the circumstances are."

The student was planning on using the cash to buy a car. He reportedly rewarded Talley for his good deed with an "undisclosed amount" of money, and he says he will be volunteering at the local homeless organization.

Watch the video report of this heartwarming story at the source link provided.