Living in Los Angeles county and frequenting places like swap meets, Venice Beach, Skid Row, and Hollywood...I thought I'd seen it all. As a kid I remember being scared when my dad used to take my younger brother and I downtown on a work errand and had us wait in the car. He'd say, "keep the doors locked, I'll be right back." Being the oldest I couldn't possibly be scared when I had to protect my baby brother. I talked to him, played car games like "I Spy", and people watched from the tinted windows.
I was always a little mad at dad for bringing us to places like this. I knew he'd be back soon but the waiting was hard. I was never quite sure if we were really safe or if I was just getting a glimpse into the "real world."
I remember so clearly the new neighborhood I had moved into. It had a similar vibe to that of Skid Row, but not as extreme. For all of you non-California natives, Skid Row is a neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles that is known for being the center of homelessness; it's 54 blocks of poverty. This new neighborhood I could tell was different as soon as I got off the highway. My childlike responses began creeping back and I thought "I might just be more safe in my car." Until I needed groceries.
I stepped into a whole other world. This particular store was still pretty unpopular at the time. A lot of the people who did their grocery shopping here were on food stamps, could buy all of their necessities for under $20, and some were even homeless trying to just purchase orange juice (that's another story for another blog post).
Rather than be scared about my surroundings, live in fear at every turn, and never go out, I decided I needed a major perspective change.
I prayed for the eyes to see these people, this community, the way God sees them.
I prayed for opportunities to serve the homeless, the one on food stamps, and the Somali community.
Anytime I went to the grocery store I started shopping with my head up; looking at the needs of those around me. I prayed for the opportunity to buy someone's groceries; anyone's. I began strategically placing myself in line behind those who were different than me, hoping I would get the chance to buy their groceries. I wanted to show someone kindness and Jesus' love in a really practical way.
This particular day I was behind a Somali woman. She loaded up her groceries and was checking the monitor every time the cashier scanned an item. I had a feeling she might be nervous about the amount of items she was getting and the limited amount of money she had to spend on said items. She tried to communicate to the cashier that she only had enough on her card to buy $50 worth of food so when she saw she was over budget, she told him to take away the vegetable oil and the cereal.
This was it. This was my opportunity.
"Were those for her kids?" was my first thought. "I'll pay for them! Just put them in with my groceries." The cashier looked puzzled. "Yep. I got it. Put them here" I told him.
The woman smiled. She didn't speak a ton of English. Nodded. Smiled. And smiled some more. She walked out after I bought her items and continued to smile. I got in my car and she waved at me and kept smiling. Oh what a beautiful sight.
Please here me. This is NOT about me, nor is the goal of this to point out the fact that I paid for a woman's grocery items. This is about SO much more than that. Don't miss it!
This is about living with our heads up.
Putting our spiritual glasses on.
Seeking the needs of those around us.
Serving someone
Loving on those who are different than you.
It can be as "simple" as someone who doesn't see eye-to-eye with you on politics or maybe there's a huge personality difference. We can serve those in our spheres; there are still differences that exist there too, even if it's not a cultural difference.
I don't know what her story was. I don't know if she had kids, lived alone, had a husband, or lived with family. I don't know why she could only afford $50. I didn't need to know. I just knew oil and cereal were important to her.
The Scriptures tell us a beautiful story of a widow who had bills to pay but the only thing she had in her possession was a jar of oil.
In 2 Kings 4:1-7, Elisha commanded her to do two things:
1) Don't get a few vessels
2) Shut the door behind you and your sons (once you acquire the vessels).
Elisha's second command was so that the widow could see and witness that the overflowing supply of oil she was going to receive was from the Lord. This was a private, intimate provision between her and Him. Once the final vessel was FULL, the oil stopped flowing. The Lord provided in His grace and compassion and the widow and her sons were able to avoid tragedy (of not being able to pay her bills, live, and provide). (Moody Bible Commentary).
The Lord uses "all we have" (4:2). The widow had nothing except this jar of oil. She offered up all she had and the Lord provided, used it, and blessed her.
Being someone who raises her own support, I wasn't in a place of over abundance financially when I paid for the woman's groceries. In fact, any time I did get the opportunity, I was on a pretty tight budget #Seminary. I told the Lord, "This is what I do have. Use it to bless someone at this store who is in more need than myself." And won't He do it.
I don't know to what extent that impacted her. I don't know what she used oil and cereal for, and I didn't need to. I knew what I had (resources). I knew what her tangible need was (food). I left the rest up to God.
We may not get to see the fruit of our obedience immediately and we don't obey the Lord solely for the blessing, but in that moment I allowed Him to use the little I had, and I trusted He would use that in whatever way He saw fit in this woman's life.
"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'it is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:35
[Guided Prayer]
Father, I pray you would open my eyes to the needs of those around me. I pray you would provide me with opportunities in my neighborhood, community, or local grocery store to bless someone with what I do have...sometimes the little I do have. I pray you would help me to be others-focused and not solely self-focused. I desire to show someone your love in a really practical way. Thank you for your provision for me everyday.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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