Though he never said he was recently released from prison, I met a man today that left little doubt that he had been incarcerated for maybe twenty to twenty-five years. He wasn't rude, mean, nasty, or in any way showing himself to have been an ex-con, but it was more in the way he asked questions, listened, and nodded his head when I answered. He was genuinely interested in the answer to the (several) questions that he had. I'll try to explain it as best I can; it was a rather interesting exchange.
The man wasn't flirting with me. If he had been, I would have walked in the opposite direction. He was curious about literally everything in the store. It was as if he hadn't been in Winco before. He looked out of place in other ways too. He watched people. He moved slowly around them, not to get too close to them, and he always listened before he spoke. He didn't want to impose or offend. He wanted to ask specific questions, but I could tell he had a few to ask. It wasn't as if his wife had done all the shopping in the past. It was as if he hadn't seen a produce section of a store in a very long time. He was noticing the choices, the prices, and the way the bags are in rolls without ties, and he mentioned that he hasn't been shopping "in a while". I took that to mean a long long while.
My friend and I went to the grocery store today and we were in the produce aisle. People always, and I do mean always, stop me and ask me questions about food when I'm in the store. I don't work there, I don't have on an apron or a badge that states I work there. While looking over the wonderfully ripe and unripe avocadoes, a man (from out of nowhere) asked me how I use or fix avocadoes. He was only familiar with eating them in guacamole. I told him I cut them up to put on sandwiches, I put half of one in a smoothie in the mornings, and I often just cut them up as part of a party tray to serve with chunks of cheese, and olives, crackers, etc. He all but stared at me.
The man couldn't believe avocadoes could be used in smoothies. He then wanted to know what all goes into a smoothie. He wanted to know the benefits of them, he had been hearing about them and saw them on sale at places like Starbucks, Scooters, and Tropical Sun, but he said he had never actually had one. He wanted to know everything he could about them. I decided to answer him and to spend a bit of time with him because it was absolutely obvious to me that this man hadn't been inside a grocery store in years. If he hadn't been inside a store, he probably hadn't been anywhere else but maybe a prison cell. I never got actual confirmation on that, but his white tucked-in tee-shirt, belted waist, and Dickie trousers told me that he was a bit old school.
When I saw him again pondering over the bulk section as if he had literally stumbled into Narnia, I asked if he needed help. He definitely needed a great deal of help. He was so surprised, so overwhelmed really by the choices before him. He couldn't figure out why someone would want to scoop out a bunch of raisins when they could buy them packaged already in nice little boxes. I explained to him that the nice little packaged boxes came with a cost and advertising. These bulk raisins are just as good, but literally half the cost. Again, he couldn't stop staring. He just couldn't believe his own ears.
I showed him what I was getting, and explained why I was getting everything that I bought. I make my own trail mix. He had never seen Oregan hazelnuts before, and he never knew peanuts came salted, unsalted, roasted, raw, and with chili. So many choices. I showed him where the little containers are that can be reused. I showed him where the Sharpee pens are, and the tape I use to label my containers, and I showed him the cost difference not only on the raisins, but also oatmeal, flour, Stevia, and chocolate chips; and his favorite, the spaghetti. A one-pound pack of regular spaghetti was about $1.99 whereas he could get the same amount for $.87 in bulk. He was sold. He was flat-out amazed, and he was now a bulk fan.
I can't always go to prisons and minister. I can't sit down with the homeless in the streets and talk. I can't put myself in an unsafe environment even if I want to witness and talk about Jesus; it's just not safe. However, in the bulk and produce sections of Winco today, I was able to help a man who I feel had been kept away from society for many years. When I told him to "be blessed", he said he was. He smiled and said "I am. I truly am." I then said something I say to just about anyone who will listen. I said, "Jesus is coming back, and none of this will matter." He smiled and said "Amen. I wish it was today." Me too buddy, me too!
If you make yourself available God will bring you His sheep to tend to. Just keep in mind you are one too.
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