Today, I spent a couple of hours in a local coffee/ice cream shop, having my date with God, thinking, and listening to music. Wednesday is my "day off" since Friday and Saturday are usually full of activity. I was pretty much off in space when all of the sudden I realized that there was a man in a ski cap sitting at the table in front of me. It was a strange occurrence to see considering the fact that I was sweating in a skirt and tank top. He had a large shell on his necklace and a woman's purse. My first reaction was to grab my things from the table and hide my purse. After all, THE MAN HAS A WOMAN'S PURSE!!
I thought twice and relaxed, realizing he was an elderly man with a kind face. The woman at the bakery knew who he was and brought him some tea (HOT tea with his ski cap!?!) and a pastry for no charge. I smiled at the kind gesture of the waitress and went back into my own world.
I looked down at my Bible study anxiously, knowing the heart of the one whom I serve. "Speak" was all I could read on the page. Of all the people in the world, I knew that Jesus would've shown love to the lonely.
I ignored this feeling for a few minutes and then thought, "alright God, if you won't leave me alone, I'll talk to him but only if we make eye contact." I felt like it was a fair trade. Semi-obedience? A middle ground?
Of course, after like 2 minutes, we had made eye contact and started a conversation. Before I knew it, this homeless man was sitting at my table. Alfredo is his name, and he began to tell me his life story and all he had studied about philosophy. We got into a discussion about the Bible, since I had a pretty open opportunity with it sitting open on the table. But something special in Alfredo was that he listened to me. He'd ask me what I think about certain things and what he should do. He knows a lot about philosophy and has apparently read quite a bit in his life. He has memorized many verses in the Bible, but wouldn't call himself a Christian. God has shown grace to Alfredo by giving him a family that has taken him in.
Since I could understand some of his story, I realized that he was a man hurt by the world. Alfredo might've had some part in his own hurt as well, though it wasn't mentioned. He's also a man who knows much in his head but it still needs to travel to his heart. I told him about how his knowledge of the Bible and philosophy would not save his soul, that he has to forgive his sister for the wrong she's done to him and accept Jesus into his life to truly live. For a moment I wondered, what if this guy is a little crazy and he's making all of this up? What if he's a boozer or on something? But then I thought that Jesus really doesn't care if he's crazy or drunk or purple. Romans 10:9 "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." This is the man Jesus would've taken the time to get to know, the one forgotten by society but close to His Father's heart.
Alfredo thought what I said about Jesus was an interesting thought.
Please pray Alfredo, that he'll remember that Jesus brought me to that coffee shop so he would learn more about His Savior.
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