Today’s post was written by Stacey Tuley, a wonderful lady with a huge heart. May we always remember that we are blessed to be a blessing.
Everyday is a great day to be a blessing right where you are at.
So this happened around lunch time.
I was at the Walgreens at Rodd Field Road and SPID. I arrived ahead of a lady that I was to meet to buy a purse from. She texted she’d be a few minutes late. While waiting on her I was listening to Lauren Daigle. “…In your eyes there’s only grace now…You plead my cause, you right my wrong, you break my chains, you overcome, you gave your life, to give me mine. You say that I am free, how can it be…Yeah ah…”
I watched a man walk slowly and lethargically up to the trash can in broad day light where he retrieved a 1/2 full Dr. Pepper bottle and a bag of some kind of chips. My eyes began to pour as I watched him devour the treasure he’d found. He walked over to sit on a concrete parking marker to finish eating. I realized in that moment that I had to do something. I wanted to immediately go buy him something to eat, but I saw the lady arrive that I was there to meet.
After I picked up the purse, she got back in her car and I walked into the store, trying to hurry before he left the area. I told the store manager what I witnessed outside and that it broke my heart. He said, “Yeh,” as he shook his head, “He hangs around here a lot. We try to help him as we can, and he scares a lot of the customers. I’ll go ask him to leave.” I told the manager, “Wait, No, he didn’t scare me, but he’s obviously hungry. I would like to buy him some food.” The manager said, “Ok, I’ll go tell him.”
I wasn’t sure what to get the homeless man. I knew he needed some protein and a protein carb combo is good for sustained energy so I got him a big bag of beef jerky, potato chips, a large smart water, and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. It wasn’t the ideal place to purchase a meal, but my heart just broke in two for him. How hungry and how desperate must one be to eat from a public trash can at a pharmacy in broad day light with people all around!
The song I had been listening to earlier reminded me of something in that moment. I had watched many people in closer proximity to the homeless man see what I saw and keep on walking. Many others were totally oblivious. I believe that when we intersect a time and a place there is often a bigger purpose than we may realize and where we have opportunity to be a blessing. I thought I was just going to buy a purse from an online garage sale site, but God had a bigger reason for me to arrive there at 12:57 PM today.
Jesus said when someone is hungry to give them food. When they are thirsty to give them a drink. Whenever we do so we are in effect doing it unto God. I’m so thankful that I had $10 to spend to bless this hungry man. I didn’t need to know why he was hungry, what he did or didn’t do to find himself in this place, or perhaps what mental illness he may have. All I knew in that moment was that he was hungry, and it was my job to get food and water into his hands.
The store manager walked out with me while carrying the bag for the man and said, “I’ll see you to your car.” As the store manager handed the bag to the hungry man, the man reached out his hand to shake my hand. I might as well have shaken the hand of God. The man didn’t say much, but he looked me straight in the eyes and said a very humbled and sincere “Thank you.” I told him, “You’re very welcome, God bless you, and I hope this helps a little.” His heart was full of gratitude for the gift, and my heart was full of gratitude that I had been at the right place at the right time as was able to help. I know it won’t change his situation, whatever that is, but sometimes just knowing that someone cares in a tangible way in the midst of your struggle is enough for that moment.