In San Jose, Costa Rica I was walking down the central street with two friends of mine. There are a ton of shops and restaurants along the strip. We were walking past KFC (yeah, they’re all over Central America) when we were stopped very abruptly by a man speaking English. He said his name was Ronnie and he was from Venice Beach, California. He told us the night prior he had been robbed buying weed and was left with no money for food or a bus ticket back to where he was staying. He asked us to buy him a meal and even told us we could stand in line with him as he ordered. I’m a skeptic. I usually have a tendency to mistrust people in situations like this. But something felt different. So I agreed to buy him a meal and asked him if we could pray over him. We got to lay hand son him right there in the street and praise God for Ronnie’s life and ask God to make Himself known to Ronnie.
We went into KFC and got in line. During our wait I learned a little more about Ronnie’s life. He’s 32 and married, but his marriage is in a tough spot right now. He is a waiter at a restaurant in Venice Beach and his wife works in retail. It was incredible to be able to hear about this total strangers life and see that God was reaching out to him through this chance encounter. I got the opportunity to tell him that God is pursuing him, that God loves him in an untamable manner and wanted to know him, and wanted Ronnie to fall in love with Him. I wasn’t in line with Ronnie just because he was hungry, I was there because Jesus loves him and is actively pursuing Ronnie’s, I was just lucky enough to be used by God for His purpose. As we got closer to the front of the line Ronnie said “hey, instead of spending the full amount on a meal, what if I bought something smaller and used the rest of the money for a bus ticket back?” I agreed, so we got his food, said our goodbyes, and parted ways.
Later that evening I was recounting the events to my friend Anna-Marie. I told her that a man stopped us on the street and she finished my sentence “and he told you he got robbed last night trying to buy weed? He’s been hitting up all the World Racers.” As soon as she said it I felt a blow. I got duped. I felt silly and manipulated. Hoe could I get tricked like that? Why would you trick someone like that? My reaction couldn’t have been more off base. I love when God teaches me lessons I don’t even realize I need to learn. I was blessed enough to be able to pray for a man who is lost and hurting, even if he doesn’t recognize it himself. I was able to learn about his life and pray for him, able to let him know that God loves him uncontrollably. And I was able to forgive him for wronging me. Even though he won’t ever know, God used this experience to make me realize the beauty of forgiveness. The Enemy intended this encounter to be negative, manipulative, and offensive. God took a circumstance meant to harm and turned it into an example of His redemption.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:8,10
Jesus, the Son of God, died for me while I was still in the midst of my sin, an enemy of God, He saved me. He forgave me. How can I turn around and not forgive some small grievance? My God is so good! Forgiving others is a blessing extended to me by the grace of God on my life. Jesus. Right there.
