September 20, 2020
This morning, as I stopped at my usual breakfast joint, I saw something that really set my pondering senses on high alert. As I was preparing to get out of my truck and go inside, I noticed a woman trying to put her young baby in a stroller while trying to balance a laptop computer, baby bag, purse, and various and sundry other items that I had no clue as to what they were. The point is, she had her hands full. Well, as she was trying to fit Junior into his stroller, she dropped her purse. About the same time, a man who looked like he might well be homeless reached down and picked up the woman’s purse. I figured he was getting ready to take off with the purse but just as I was getting ready to call the cops, the strangest thing happened. He just stood there as the frazzled mom got her son settled. She was so frazzled she didn’t even realize her purse had slid off her shoulder. When she got Junior in his place, the homeless man tapped the woman on the shoulder and handed her back the dropped purse. As the morning progresses, I have thought a lot about the scene I witnessed. There are several lessons to learn. The first one is an oldie but goodie. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. I assumed the man was going to run off with the purse and buy some booze or drugs. I have no business judging anyone’s intentions or motives. Neither do you. That’s way above our paygrade. Second, there are a lot of people who need a helping hand. Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don’t, and sometimes they don’t even realize they need help. The question is not, does anyone need help. The question is do we slow down enough to even see it. Finally, as I replayed this scene in my mind, it dawned on me that God shows up in the strangest places. It may be in the form of a sunrise or sunset. It may be the song of a bird or the night sounds heard on a summer evening under the stars. It might be in the form of un unexpected payday or a much-needed word of encouragement. God is alive, well, and working in our world. This morning, He showed Himself to me in the form of a homeless man doing the right thing by helping out a fellow traveler that had crossed his path. As I witnessed this, I was both blessed and humbled. I pray that you would be blessed and be a blessing…Brother Andy
