… for
I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36 I was naked, and
you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came
to me.’
“Then the righteous will
answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or
thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger,
and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you
sick, or in prison, and come to you?’
“The King will answer them,
‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my
brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25: 35-40 WEB)
As I rummaged through plastic
containers looking for crochet hooks, I noticed a blonde lady staring at me. In
the crowded thrift store, only the two of us were in the craft area. Was I in her way?
With a boot on her foot, she hobbled
next to me. Finally, she spoke. “I’m a teacher and getting things for my
class.”
“I was a teacher for almost
thirty-seven years,” I said.
We continued talking as we looked
for buttons, needles and other items for her students. She told me that she
taught four year olds at a very small Christian school but used to teach in
public school.
Her eyes wanted to tell me her story
but her lips only said, “I never thought I would be doing it for so little. I’ve
already spent more than I should.”
My heart went out to the lady with a
broken leg, making minimum wage, and struggling to get supplies for her pupils.
I knew there was a difficult story behind her smile.
She hugged me before she left. I
didn’t find the crochet hook I needed but did pick up more buttons and other
craft supplies.
At the counter, my new friend looked
through her overflowing cart. The clerk motioned for me to come to the counter.
Only then did the teacher look up and notice me.
“Were you ready to check out?” I
asked.
She nodded with only a slight smile.
“I’m sorry. The clerk told me to
come.”
“We didn’t know you were ready to
check out,” the clerk said.
“That’s ok.”
After I paid for my purchases, I
turned to the teacher. “This is for you.” I handed her several black buttons
and some money.
Her face lit up with joy. She thanked
me, hugged me again and looked at the clerk. “Did you see what she did?”
The clerk nodded. I didn’t desire recognition
but wanted to make life a little easier for a struggling teacher.
Over and over she thanked me. Her
enthusiasm because of my small gift gave me joy too.
While we talked, another lady
stepped at the cash register with a cart full of toys. “Every time I come in
here, I look at a certain Bible. I hope the price goes down so I can get it.”
We locked eyes as the clerk began
ringing up her items. With my purchases in hand, I left.
On the highway several minutes
later, it hit me. I should have bought that Bible. For me, it would not have
been a huge price but to her it was. The Bible could have blessed her. The
missed opportunity bothered me the rest of the day.
My visit to the thrift store made me
think about listening and being compassionate. I was thankful I cheered up the
teacher but sorry I missed helping the second lady. Over the years, how many
opportunities have I missed?
In the New Year, I plan to listen to
God’s prodding and act instead of just thinking about it. I want to be more
open in approaching people when I sense their needs.
Father, as I face a new year, guide me in
being more loving, compassionate, and helpful. When I sense a need, whether
large or small, help me fill it. Amen
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