I was sitting at Swift and Finch (my favorite coffee shop) and God sent Santa to sit next to me. I call him Santa because, why not? He was an older, bald, white-bearded, big-bellied man and we didn’t exchange names. 🙂
Just a few hours earlier, I was at home journaling and asking God what He wanted me to do. My heart has been hurting for the people in Ferguson, the check-out guy at Wal-Mart who had to work all day on Thanksgiving, and the people around the world who don’t know the name of Jesus. I was crying out, “Lord, what am I to do? You allow me to get a glimpse of your heart and feel Your hurt and empathy for Your people around the world but what can I do? There are so many who need Your love!”
And God answered, “One“, and led me to Matthew 25:34-40:
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 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.’” Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King 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.”
So there I was reading my book with Santa on the other end of the bench. After a few minutes, he asked me what I was drinking because he had just recently moved to Rome and discovered Swift. I told him and we started talking. He asked if I was in school and I explained the Race to him. He asked if I would be doing mission work the whole time and then shared his favorite scripture. Matthew 25:40!!
I knew it was no coincidence that he had sat down next to me. I bought him the same drink I had so he could try it and tears fell down his face when I offered it to him. We talked for nearly an hour and he cried again as he told me how God had saved his life, how his best friend had battled cancer and gone on to be with Jesus at too young an age, and how he didn’t know the reason God still had him on earth. This man was ONE that God wanted me to see, to take the time to listen to, offer a smile, and a word of encouragement. The Lord blessed me by opening my eyes and ears to the Spirit and where He was moving.
Through Santa’s tears, God made sure I understood what I had written in my journal that morning: Jesus is in each face we see, everyday. Love them like Jesus!
{We can do no great things–only small things with great love.}
Mother Teresa
