I鈥檝e taken up bus riding these past weeks and, frankly, the less I have to drive now, the better. I know that I may tire of it, but to date I find it relaxing to let someone else bring me to the walking track or to town. One morning this week, however, I saw something entirely new but so soul-satisfying.
As I sat inside the doors of our local mall waiting for the bus that would take me back home, a dishevelled man walked through the doors and sat not far from me. I鈥檒l call him Frank, just to make storytelling a bit easier. I smiled at him and said hello and thought that would be the end of the encounter. Several minutes later, an equally unkempt gentleman I鈥檒l call Mike shuffled down the mall.
鈥淢ike,鈥� Frank called, 鈥淐an you lend me enough money for a coffee? I鈥檝e got to have something.鈥� Although I confess this doesn鈥檛 happen often, my immediate thought was, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to buy them both breakfast!鈥� Almost simultaneously I realized I only had my bus pass and my house keys with me. Good intentions squashed.
Mike responded almost as quickly as I contemplated the situation, 鈥淚鈥檒l check,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 just got to make sure I have enough money for beer.鈥� That鈥檚 when I saw something that鈥檚 so easy to overlook.
As customary as it is to judge and withdraw from folks of their ilk, I saw a comradeship and care that sometimes seems disturbingly rare among the general population and although I鈥檓 not advocating buying breakfast for every person we meet, my heart was touched by Mike鈥檚 willingness to share the little he had.
鈥淎dd to your faith鈥� brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love.鈥� (2 Peter 1:7)
How can God use me (or you) today to meet someone else鈥檚 need?
听
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