Lunch Money

One morning, as I drove around doing errands, God flashed an image of a young man who worked at a grocery store by my old apartment. God whispered, “Stan is a nice young man. He has a genuinely good heart.” When I arrived home, I realized I had forgotten to pick up drain cleaner. I got back into my car to buy some from a local hardware store about a mile from my new home. God said,” No. Go to the grocery store in your old neighborhood. Give that young man $10, tell him to buy lunch, and then tell him how I see him. How I see his heart.” Did I hear that right? I don’t know why I even questioned it. The truth was, I wasn’t too thrilled. The store was 20 minutes away, and I had been driving all morning! My hair was also dirty, and I had no makeup on, and I knew the store would be super busy right before Christmas.

I drove to my old hood and when I walked in; I didn’t see Stan cashiering. Oh well. I guess I missed it. Must have been my own thoughts and that cash burning in my pocket talking to me! I turned down the aisle to get the cleaner, and there he was. Standing right in front of the cleaner, unpacking stock with another employee. I don’t know why I was amazed that he was right where I needed to be and that the aisle was totally empty, even though the store was packed. God always knows how to set it up, so you just walk right into it.

“I don’t want you to think I am weird, but God told me this morning to give you $10. Buy yourself some lunch today.” His face lit up, and he suddenly looked upward. I could tell a lightbulb went off. It was about noon, and maybe it was time for his break. Or maybe he didn’t have any money. Didn’t matter, that was just an icebreaker because, of course, God didn’t stop there.

God told him how He saw him. Stan was a nice person with a big, genuine heart. That when he had children, he would be a good father. That he would be patient and encouraging and that his love for his children would help them become people effective in this world. He would be too, and his children would pass this on. Whoa! Sometimes God is a chatty daddy!

Stan’s face was lit up the entire time God spoke to him. His coworker stood silently nearby just taking it all it in. No one interrupted us, and the aisle remained empty.

“Thank you so much! I really really appreciate it. This means a lot to me. God bless you.”

“Yes, I know it does. God just wanted you to know that He loves you, sees you, and thinks you are amazing.”

What a super blessing it is to be used by God. That encounter made my day! I am continually humbled by how much He loves people if we let him through us. I am sure this young man will have an interesting story to tell his family tonight about a God who paid for his lunch and saw the best in him. With no strings! Without any come-to Jesus meetings!

I guess I need to stop being surprised by these encounters. That is just how my Daddy God rolls……