Yesterday I was in the local Aldi (OMG, I love that store) and as I was standing in line to check out the woman who was in front of me was literally buying every single package of bologna that the store offered to its customers. Now, to be honest, there was a part of me that thought inwardly, "Really, you have to take every last package?" We do that, don't we. We judge. Then another thought quickly replaced the original thought, "Maybe she's feeding the homeless and that's what she can afford." I decided to ask. That's me. I do that. If you're with me when it happens, you may have to either just accept that I do that, or maybe turn around so no one will assume you're with me. I do ask. I open my big mouth, and I ask questions that some would think I have absolutely no reason or right to ask about. That's me.
She looked at me. She in fact, took a half step back and turned to face me. She said in her very sweet and curious voice, "I am feeding the homeless. You wanna help?" Oh my goodness!! The inner Spirit in me was doing the dance! Did she just offer me an opportunity?!! WHAT? Yes, I want to help! Let me help! I didn't let her see the inner joy immediately, I wanted to be sure she was going to let me actually help before I got too excited. I answered, "Of course, what do you need?" She said she could use more bread because she knows there's about 100 "souls", her word, and she only had enough to give each of them a couple of slices of bologna and 1 slice of bread. I asked her to hold my place in line. The man behind me didn't mind.
I quickly ran over to the bread aisle and grabbed up what I could that would go with what she already had. I didn't want there to be a battle between men/women who may have received something a bit better than the other. While I was there I rocked over to the cheese aisle and picked up 8 packages of just plain ol' American yellow cheese, and three bottles of mustard and one bottle of ketchup. Some people put ketchup on their bologna, right? I raced back to the check out and asked her if she could use chips. She laughed. "Of course, we can use whatever you got" was her answer. I asked the man behind me if it was OK if I got some chips. He handed me a $20 bill and said he'd go ahead of me but he wanted to help too. WHAT A MAN! WHAT A WOMAN! I am so excited to be living near and among wonderful people.
So yeah, I picked up 10 bags of chips too. We checked out, we packed it up, and I asked her if she needed me to help make the sandwiches or pass them out. She said she would actually be doing that tomorrow, (which is today) and her grandkids helped her. It was a Sunday thing. Oh, a Sunday thing? So maybe next Sunday I can help again? She nodded and agreed to let me do that. Woot! As she was leaving I asked her if she could use soap. I told her I made a lot of soap for sale, but there were dozens of bars I can't really sell for any profit really. She said she could use anything and everything, so I decided to go home, pack up the dozens of bars that I don't think will sell for this or that reason. I decided to cut them in half so they could be distributed to more people. I ended up with 58 bars. It's not 100, but it will work. If I need to I can actually just make more for them and not sell them. God doesn't mind if I give my tithe or offerings away this way. He makes it all.
I can't tell you how awesome it is to be loud-mouthed, open, up front, blunt, honest, and out going. You can only imagine how many great rewarding opportunities are missed out on every single day by introverted people who either want to help, or wish they could muster up the courage to ask if they can. God was so very keen when He decided I needed vocal cords. I use them. I may not always be pleasant, and I may not always fit in the boxes that society has created for us to fit into, I sort of create my own moments of contingency. I don't wait for others to ask. I rarely ask for permission, it's just not in my Spirit to do that. I know when there's work to be done. Why ask if I can do it if no one is stepping up to do so? I do usually ask, but I don't take no for an answer if the person is overwhelmed or underassisted. I'm going to be there and I'm going to put my two hands out to help.
I am not a rich or wealthy person. No, I am not. I am not able to open up my check book and just cover any and all needs that may need to be covered. What I am is available. What I am is willing. What I am is hopeful that God will recycle me. That He will repurpose me. That He will restore me. The way(s) He does that is to let me serve. If I'm serving I'm smiling. If I'm smiling I'm making something happen. If I'm making something happen I am doing what needs to be done. I am no miracle maker, but I am trying to be like the Miracle Maker in my heart. If I can see Him smiling you know my day is complete.
I guess what I'm saying is there are opportunities all around us. We can see if we have eyes to see. We can hear if we have ears to hear. We can sing if we have the voice to sing. Remember God didn't say it had to be pretty. When I praise Him it usually has to be solo so I don't mess up the sounds of what others are producing. The joyful noise thing applies to me, and really, I'm OK with it. I don't have to be good at it, that wasn't the mission's goal. I just want it to be joyful and directed as worship. What I'm saying is, listen, look, watch, be there, be open, be available. You may be the one who needs the help one day, and really, there's that song again...I sing it in my head over and over again. "Lean on me, when you're not strong, and I'll be your friend. I'll help you carry on. For, it won't be long, til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on." Just be there.
No comments:
Post a Comment