Tonight I headed to the grocery store to get supplies for the week. According to my kids, we had "nothing to eat." I went to get some needed stuff, but also to get out of my crazy house for a bit. While at the store, my mind was full of worries. Really all weekend my mind has been full of worries...mostly about finances and and Christmas approaching and all the work I need to get done both at home and work. I was distracted and stressed and almost in tears. I filled my cart, payed, and headed out to my car all still lost in my thoughts.
Then I heard a voice from behind my car..."Excuse me ma'am?". Now as a girl, you are always trained to beware of strange men in parking lots, so I was immediately on my guard. I came around the end of my car to see a man who was obviously down on his luck, but not scary. What struck me was the fact that he looked like a startled animal, more afraid of me than I was of him. He asked for money. I told him i didn't have any , but I was sorry. Then he asked for food. I looked down at my cart of groceries, which a few minutes before seemed like very little and "cheap" food in a whole new way. He proceeded to tell me that he had lost his job and he and his wife were living in the woods near the store. He almost started crying when he told me that he had never been this low before. My heart broke. I fought tears as I handed him a loaf of bread that was on top. He clutched it like I had given him gold. I started rummaging through my groceries for some lunch meat so they could have sandwiches. He said the bread was enough that he didn't want to bother me anymore. I finally found the turkey and gave him all I had bought. He didn't want to take it all, but I practically begged him to take it all. He said "God Bless you ma'am" and disappeared while I was going back to the cart to find him more food. I looked for him, but couldn't find him.
Now I'm not going to say he was an angel. He probably wanted to take off before he got in trouble for begging in the parking lot. But in those few minutes, I was humbled and brought to tears. The tears this time were not for my own sad situation, but for this man and his wife who had nothing. I started thinking about the people I have in my life who would give me bread if I needed it. My family would never go hungry. I couldn't imagine living a life where I had no one to help.
Do you ever have those moments when Jesus shows up and shakes you out of your stupor? When you realize that what momentary struggles you have are so insignificant compared to the pain in other people's lives. Or moments when you realize that you may have been an answer to prayer just by being there.
Tonight as I type this, I am still humbled and so grateful for all the things that I have and pray that I won't forget and take them for granted. And I'm happy that I was there for this moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment