Every Sunday at our meal we see a variety of different faces: men, women, children, black, white, and every race in-between. It’s hard to categorize the people that we meet downtown, because all of them have different backgrounds and a different story to tell. There are times when a person will approach you and you will be fairly positive that they are stretching the truth a little too far. Other times, you get to talk with someone who shares something refreshing and very unexpected. This past Sunday was one of those days for me.
After the line died down, one of our regulars and his “crew”(we’ll call them) were sitting on the curb eating their lunch. First, we went through the typical questions of, “How’s your week been?” and “You staying warm?” But immediately after the small talk, one of the men pulled a book out of his backpack and handed it to me. As he handed over the Jesus Calling Devotional he said, “Turn to today’s page and read it out loud.” So I began to read:
Come to Me with all your weaknesses: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Rest in the comfort of My Presence, remembering that nothing is impossible with Me. Pry your mind away from your problems so you can focus your attention on Me. Recall that I am able to do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine. Instead of trying to direct Me to do this and that, seek to attune yourself to what I am already doing.
When anxiety attempts to wedge its way into your thoughts, remind yourself that I am your Shepherd. The bottom line is that I am taking care of you; therefore, you needn’t be afraid of anything. Rather than trying to maintain control over your life, abandon yourself to My will. Though this may feel frightening-even dangerous- the safest place to be is in My will.
When I finished the reading, it dawned on me what had just happened- God had used a man without a roof over his head to remind me not to worry about my physical, emotional and spiritual problems. He reminded me that instead of trying to get God to follow my will, I should be asking Him for His. And most importantly, he reminded me to keep my eyes on the Shepherd that cares for me and knows me, his sheep.
I am so thankful for the variety of people that we meet downtown every week and the many different stories we hear on a daily basis. It reminds us that not only is God a God of ALL people, but He also works through ALL people. I pray that my eyes and ears can be opened daily so that I can continue to learn from some unexpected people in unexpected places
