A couple of years ago as I was leaving a grocery store, there was a couple by the road as you drive out with signs saying they needed help...money. The lady looked incredibly sad, probably my age, face covered in sores and as I drove closer I saw she was pregnant. My heart broke! I had my little man in the back seat and could not imagine carrying a small life and having no food to eat or having to beg for money. As I drove closer I rolled down my window and gave them all the cash I had....a big $2! Whoop-dee-doo!! I left and got just a couple of miles away and immediately felt convicted that I did not pull over and give them some food and drinks as I had just bought a lot of groceries. I do not have a good excuse as to why I did not turn around and feed them and possibly share the Gospel with them, but I still remember those two faces to this day and I have regretted my poor decision on that day!
Ever since then I have literally prayed for God to send homeless people into my life so that I could help them....whether it be to feed them, pay for a motel for them, pray for them or whatever they may need. And GOD has been faithful to answer. I can remember each person He has brought into my path over the last two years. There have been some that after I leave them I just burst into tears because I hate knowing that they have no place to lay their heads and to call home.
It happened again last night. As I was leaving from my grocery shopping....loading up my car....a homeless man walked passed me with his head down. I saw his eyes glance at all the bags of food in my buggy and then head down again. Until I acknowledged him and said "hello." He quietly mumbled a "hello" back to me and kept walking. Then, he turned around and came back and told me a little bit of his problem and how he missed the Knoxville transportation bus and had been out since 1pm and needed to catch the bus when it came back at midnight. He had a cane and he was aged and very tired. He was also diabetic and needed some food. I had no cash, but this time I didn't let it stop me. We went back into the store and I bought him some fruit that he wanted and withdrew some cash from my account to pay for him to catch the late bus. I really did believe him. I had no reason to believe he was lying to me. All I could think of is that this man is someone's father and someone's son and He was created special by GOD. All I could think was that if this were my dad or my son or my father-in-law....I would pray someone would acknowledge him and help him if he were in this situation.
After I bought the food for him and tried to talk (I'm always hopeful to be able to share the Gospel), it was evident that he was embarrassed to ask for it and he wanted me to leave. He just kept looking around to see if anyone noticed and my heart broke again. I had to respect his pride...what little there was left in his mind. I thanked him for asking me to help and left. On my drive home I was so bummed that I did not share the Gospel with him and even this morning lying in bed thinking and praying for this man. God reminded me of this Scripture and I realized that sometimes that is all I am supposed to do.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ...And the Kind will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"~ Matthew 25:35-36, 40
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