The $25 That Changed My Morning — and My Heart

This morning, I made a veteran cry.

Not from pain—but from gratitude.

I was standing in line at a coffee shop when I noticed a family in front of me: a father, a daughter, and an older man wearing a U.S. Navy hat. The barista smiled and asked, “Are we celebrating you today?”

He nodded proudly.

Then she added something that struck me: “Most of the people would say - thank you for your service, but I want to say - thank you for my freedom.”

His eyes filled with tears.

In that instant, something moved inside me. I stepped forward and said, “Let me get your coffee.” He tried to refuse—kindly, humbly—but I insisted. “It’s okay. Let me do this.”

He hesitated, then let me. And that’s when he couldn’t hold back his tears anymore.

I walked out with my own drink and a heart so full it almost hurt.

It made me wonder: Why did paying for someone else’s $25 order bring me more joy than buying my own coffee ever could?

We talk about success, wealth, travel, freedom—all the external things. But that moment reminded me that true abundance is measured in how much love we circulate, not how much we accumulate.

In neuroscience, there’s a chemical explanation—oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin—the “giver’s high.” But beyond chemistry, there’s something deeply spiritual that happens when we give without expecting anything in return. It’s like our soul remembers what it’s made of.

And yet, in today’s culture, “serving others” has become almost a forgotten phrase. It’s been twisted to sound like subservience when in truth, it’s divine leadership.

Because it’s not the servant who is small; it’s the one who serves who becomes great.

As Scripture reminds us:

“Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.” — Matthew 20:26

That morning, a cup of coffee turned into communion. A stranger became a teacher. And a reminder whispered through my heart — that sometimes, the most powerful leadership move you can make… is an act of quiet service.