Sometimes God puts you in a strange place for a very good reason. Today, on my way home, I stopped off at a very unfamiliar dollar store to get my daughter a balloon for her birthday. It took me a few minutes to decide on balloons, then grab a box of candy and pick a line. While standing there, with one customer waiting in front of me and one already checking out, I kept feeling God tugging on my heart. It was moments later that the man checking out realized he didn't have enough money to pay for his order. The cashier was puzzled and asked the only other cashier in the store for help. This man was now publicly being shown to not have enough money for his order. (I don't blame the cashier as she wasn't sure how to void out so many items). She asked those of us left in line to go to the other line and apologized. They had to wait on a manager to get back from break. Meanwhile, this poor customer was apologizing over and over. Anyone looking at him could tell how embarrassed he was and that he was struggling. I could feel God tugging at my heart even harder.
I walked over to the cashier and discreetly asked if I could cover the rest of his order. He paid what he could and I took care of the rest for him. His exact words were, "See, God still puts angels on earth." The cashier said, "God bless you." All I could say was, "No God bless YOU, my friend. We all have hard times. I'll be praying for you."
I was moved to tears when I left that store: tears for this poor man, tears for the cashier who had no idea how to handle it and was doing her best to make him feel like his situation was going to be okay, tears for those around that were looking down on this gentleman, but most of all tears of thankfulness for God giving me this opportunity. I only wished I could do more. I could only cry and thank God for giving me this gift.
I tell you this not to get some sort of praise or pat on the back. In fact, I want NONE of that. I tell you this to give glory to God for providing this man with the help he needed through me. I tell you this to give glory to God for providing me an opportunity to be shown just how great God is and be reminded of how He speaks to us daily and not to ignore it. I tell you this because I truly believe that God puts us in places and circumstances for a reason and that, no matter how small or dull it may seem, if you listen to His heart-speak, you will be completely overcome. You see, I'm not an angel but to this man, it was the simplest way to express God's work being done through a stranger. I didn't do anything wonderful or even good....it was all God's hand. I was just a vessel.
Watch for opportunities to glorify God, friends. It might be something small to you but to someone else, it may mean the world. For someone else, it might be what reminds them in a very hard time that God is right there with them.
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