I have been struggling in my spirit as to whether I want to write this article or simply save the lesson in my heart. I’ve decided to share this humbling experience… This stranger touched my heart in a way I have not been touched in a long time and I thank God for our paths crossing.
Leaving Wal-Mart last week, we came upon a man with a sign, “HOMELESS. Need food & shoes.” Over the last week, I have met this same homeless man three times. The first time, I told him I would pray for him; he said “Me too.” The second time I met him, I was awestruck to find that he had been bothered by his mistake in words; he obviously had thought a lot about it after my departure because he was eager to clarify that he meant he would pray for me too… not that he would pray for himself. How many people would remember such a thing? During this second meeting my son asked him where he sleeps to which he replied, “Wherever God tells me to sleep, that’s where I sleep.” My son is the one of my children who always prays for God to bless the people who don’t have the things we have and always asks God to bless us with more so that we can help people who need it.
Visibly shaken by realizing he had met someone who actually did not have a place to live, Tre asked him if he is poor … the man (James) replied, “I am rich in God; that’s all that matters.” That gripped my soul and obviously hit Tre in the spirit because it’s all he could talk about for the rest of the day. As soon as we got home, he had to tell his Daddy everything… Talia looked at me and said, “Momma, I’m glad you helped him.” I told them that is what God wants us all to do – when we see someone in need of something we can give them, we should give it … because that’s what Jesus would do – and did do – for us.
It broke my heart to hear him talk about how people look at him and things they say to him… I could tell he was not used to having someone look in his eyes or really listen to what he has to say. How unfortunate that anyone would treat a person as if they don’t deserve something as simple as respect and value. This homeless man… with nothing… only asked for one thing: a Bible. My son lit up like a Christmas tree as he gave his Bible to the man. I enjoyed talking to this man more than most people I have had the pleasure of conversing with and I thank God for blessing me with his presence even temporarily because he inspired me.
As we spoke the third time I came across him this week, I stopped my van – SO EXCITED to have seen him again – and asked him how he was enjoying his Bible. He told me he had just given blood to get money for his next meal… We talked for a while and I shared the story of JOB with him and as I explained the powerful message behind the reason God allowed Job to endure those things, James cried… tears streamed down his face and I could literally see the relief in his eyes as though in his mind, he was thanking God for confirming everything He had been dropping in his spirit.
Through all James is enduring, he is thankful… he is not bitter or angry; he is not resentful and does not question God; he is faithful and trusting God to bring him out of his circumstances… I thank God for blessing James. I am much more aware of the things that I have and have a much stronger passion to expand the ministry God gave me so that eventually I am able to make an impact in the lives of people like James… but I will never be able to repay him for the impact he made in mine.
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