The Man in the Yellow Shirt

I really had no intentions of taking a week off from blogging but last week the flu and strep throat brought this mamma down for the count bed ridden and achy all over .. just not fun. But back to normal with no one else getting it .. thank you Jesus! I'm back to continue the story.. if you need to catch up to speed go back and read this post...

So, it's a Tuesday and were heading to the local library for story time. We all pile out with our big pile of books to return into the electric slot outside the library. I was teaching Parker how to wait for the green light before entering another book into the slot ... it was a good lesson on patience as the machine was taking forever. The kids were antsy to get inside as we were running late for story time.  As I was waiting between the times of putting another book in .. I over hear a man in a yellow shirt talking on his cell phone. He was upset talking to a friend then he got another phone call where he answered with a professional voice saying "Yes Mam, I lost my job and now I'm not sure what to do?" .. it struck me and I wanted to listen more. While tuning the kids out I heard him say " I'm here to find a job", then I couldn't hear him as he was walking away.  My heart was racing, I was totally checked out while Parker is saying mommy can i put the book in now over and over... I finally said yes. Then I thought I need to give him money .. I can't I bet I don't have any and we're late for story time and the kids are ready to go. I thought for a minute ok if he's still outside after, I will give him what I have in my wallet... which i thought was nothing because I never have money in my wallet. We sneak in the back of story time. The whole time I'm thinking awe man I hope this guy is still there after. He just lost his job and is really upset. I look in my purse and I actually do have money $32 that's crazy I thought I never have cash... I put it in my pocket ready to give. Thinking for a second I hope I don't insult him by giving him money? After, my heart is racing so hoping he is still there and I looked up and down, outside and in the library everywhere but he's gone. I think ok God not meant to be ... If it is then I would see him again. I'm in the children's area helping the kids find some books but still looking at everyone walking in the door hoping it was him. I then finally see him walking and pacing up and down the sidewalk upset. My heart is racing ok Jesus this is meant to be ... I gather my kids, hard to do as they don't know why we're leaving so soon and want more books, I tell them a couple more but we got to go. Then stand in a line to check out. Thinking ok God if you want me to give it to him he will be outside ... I head outside and he's not there. I said oh no he's not here... I pile the kids in the car. There is a Job hiring center down at the end maybe he's in line there? I tell the kids "hey, you know that guy that was standing by us talking on his phone when we were checking our books in?" thinking no way they will know and Brooke say"YES, the guy with the yellow shirt?" I said Yes!! Let's look for him!  God told me to give him some money because he just lost his job. Parker was shocked I knew that .. I told them I overheard him on the phone:) We looked all around the shopping center, no sign of him but the kids were excited and wanted to find him. We drove to the next shopping center still no signs.I said oh well, I guess he's gone...we didn't want to give up but we needed to head home as Kate was getting fussy. I said to the kids lets give someone else the money. On this particular day we saw many struggling people walking around at each corner.  Ok, you guys tell me who .. so they were on a mission to find someone. They noticed this guy on a bike and said him... I said ok until Brooke screams

" LOOK it's the man with the yellow shirt!" he was way up ahead! walking right in front of our church!! I started shaking, my heart was racing it's him!! WOW Brooke what a good eye you have! The whole car cheered!  We were all excited we found him .. I pulled off the road and said excuse me sir ...excuse me sir... 

and he walked over .. I said "God wanted me to give you this!" He was dripping sweat and looked so tired .. He looked at me in the eye shocked and started to cry. I thought thank you Jesus for leading me to him.  He began to tell me his story just being laid off from Red Lobster and he should have saw it coming but had no idea. He told me his struggles and all that he was going through .. it was clear he needed Jesus more now than ever!I told him about looking for him and for my kids trying to find him. I told him all about my church right there in the parking lot that he should try it! He said he wanted to he couldn't believe God just gave him this! He was so thankful so broken and hurting. I told him it was ok and God has the plan to trust in him. My kids in the back seat were frozen listening to every word awe struck themselves. I told him I will be continually praying for him! As, I rolled up my window I couldn't stop smiling ..Parker said "Mommy that was just so nice of you!"
 I began to tell him that is what Jesus would have done. 

We talked about it on the ride home about loving our neighbor and how great it feels to give. But more importantly that is what the gospel looks like. We should love our neighbor as ourselves! What if all of us were able to do deeds out of love and gratitude? What if we were all able to act to think of others beyond our small group we are comfortable with? Yes, that made a small difference in a man's life and hopefully will bring him to Jesus. But it made a huge difference for my children to see what helping a person in need looks like. 

When we got home Brooke was quiet and grabbed some paper while I was returning some emails. She started to draw a picture of our family, she then asked if she could have an envelope and I said sure why? she said she wanted to send Grannie " my mom" a card. I said that was so nice of her, she drew a picture of all our family members and wrote LOVE Brooke on it. I wrote the address on the envelope and notice something weird shaped inside. I said Brooke what is that? she said I wanted to give Grannie some money .. she had gotten out of her purse in her room. I thought wow she gets it .. what giving is all about. 

The word mirror strikes my heart thinking

 Love is the mirror that reflects the image of God, and this must be love in deed.

 What's ironic now thinking about it,  is the cash I gave the man was actually
 from my mom in the 1st place.. she had given me for mother's day. 
Just so fun how God works out so many details that we don't even see. 
It all started with the holy spirit placing it on my heart to give to the stranger next to me but then a stranger in the Starbucks and McDonalds line showing me what that looks like then pulling the trigger to help a man in need that in returned making an impact on my children to make a difference. 

WOW that is what the Gospel is all about when you allow God to lead your way! What would it look like to serve others, not just to feel good, but to cultivate goodness all around?

What a world this would be!