Amidst
the daily routine of changing diapers, making meals, washing dishes, playing Barbie’s, soldiers, and
all the usual duties of Nannyhood, I realized that Thanksgiving was soon
approaching and I would have a four day week-end away from the fast pace rush of
life. Instantaneously the words
“Thanksgiving” halted my train of thought and reminded me that I had not
updated my Thankfulness blog, or my thankfulness journal for that matter, in a
long while. One would naturally assume that
Thanksgiving would be the holiday of all holidays about which I would post a
fantastic article. What would I
write? I was drawing a complete
blank. Maybe I’d just skip it this
time.
Fast
forward a couple of days, I’m on my way to pick up Chinese take-out from my
favorite Asian restaurant. Mind full and
heart heavy with many pressing and stressful situations, I step out into the
dimly lit parking lot, pull my white jacket over my shoulders and proceed toward
the building. Halfway across I see a weathered looking Hispanic man sitting in
the shadows near the door and looking my direction. Conscious that I am a young woman, alone in
an empty parking lot in a bad part of town, I hasten my steps and avert my eyes. I glance sideways while passing and notice big
tattoos covering his arms. A few steps
from the door I hear a faint and tired voice call out.
“Please,
do you have any extra change? Anything helps.”
I barely hear his voice and, given the situation, the average person’s
impulse would be to pretend not to notice and move on. Yet something holds me back and forces me to
turn and face this man.
“Sorry,
what did you say?” I ask, slightly nervous.
Humiliated, he ducks his head low and barely looks me in the eye as he
replies,
“It’s
embarrassing to even ask…but do you have any extra change you could give me?”
I
slightly enquire further into the need of his situation, feeling ashamed for doubting
but struggling with the possibility that I might be enabling a lazy person who will
not work or financing a drug addict, smoker, or alcoholic in their addiction. At my enquiry, he looks a little surprised as
though his reason for needing money should be very obvious and understandable.
“We
live and sleep on the streets,” he replies dejectedly, nodding towards the
darkness beyond. “Every little bit
helps.” There is a look of painful truth
in his eyes and instead of speculating as to whether or not his story is
completely true I go with the impulse of the moment and give him what little I have,
apologizing for not being able to give more.
All the while, James 2:15-16 is running through my head;
“If a brother or sister be naked, and
destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye
warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body, what doth it profit?”
Looking
me in the eyes he extends his hand and asks for my name. Accepting his gesture I give him my first
name.
“My
name is Angel,” he replies. I tell Angel that Jesus loves and cares
greatly for him and, finding him still there on my way out of the restaurant, wish
him goodnight and “God bless you” which he returns. Deeply burdened for a need much greater than
my own I begin praying for this man on my way home and wishing I had said more,
thought to give him my food or a card to my church or done…something…anything…just
more. As I reflect over our brief and
fairly average encounter I flip on the radio and hear Brandon Heath’s voice
singing,
“Jesus
in disguise, Jehovah passing by. The burden of a tear hanging in your eye.
Jesus in disguise, a scar across the sky. You were looking for a king, you
would never recognize, Jesus in disguise.
So open up my eyes, wide as I can, blind as I am.”
Chills
run up and down my arm and these words come to mind, “Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
–Hebrews 13:2
Though
that man may not have been a literal angel, God has said, “Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done
it unto me.” -Matthew 25:40
I
encountered Jesus in disguise through Angel.
In extending love to him I was extending it to Jesus.
How
fast my concerns and worries disappear the moment I concentrate on a need far
greater than my own. It puts my life
into perspective as I realize how much I have been blessed with; a home, job,
food, clothes, family, friends, church…but most importantly I have a
relationship with the God and creator of the universe and a hope, peace, joy,
and strength that perhaps this man does not have. I prayed over him all the way home that
somehow he would have encountered Jesus in that brief and amazing moment that
we talked. I know I did.
The
next day I knew immediately what I would write on my blog.
As
we remember how the Lord has provided for all our needs, that we are not
homeless, abandoned, unloved, unwanted, ignored, starved or desolate, remember
also that God always gives us more than
we need so that we might extend that blessing to others. I want to challenge you to think of all the
average every day blessings we enjoy each day as well as the more notable ones
and thank God for them all, then ask and seek ways to reciprocate that blessing
by ministering to someone with a need greater than your own. They may not always be in need of our
finances. It may be our love, a word of
kindness, compassion, listening ear, hug, smile, food, clothes, friendship, or
perhaps more than anything they need to hear the hope of salvation which is found
in Jesus Christ.
Even if we are lacking in many areas of our life, if we know Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior than we truly have more than enough to be thankful for.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season and how can you extend
that blessing to others?
“Give
thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy one. Give thanks because
He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son. And
now, let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich, because of what
the Lord has done for us. Give thanks.”
