Misty Eyed

“Where do you want to eat lunch?” asked Charlie. “I don’t care,” said his wife. They wound up at a taco place all the way across town from where they live. While in the middle of their meal, several people jumped up and started looking out the windows. Charlie got up to see what they were looking at. A homeless man and woman were fighting. The man left and the woman started crying and walking toward the restaurant with her bike.

Another couple, Justin and Emily, ran out the door to the woman. Her name was Misty. She was in hysterics. “He stole all of my money,” she said. They started calming her down and invited her inside the restaurant. Justin went to get her some food and a drink. Emily talked to her.

Charlie and his wife wanted to help. Later, Justin went back up to the counter. He was trying to purchase Misty a gift card so she could get more food later. Charlie said he would pay for it, but he learned the machine wasn’t working. So he told Justin he would go down the street to a convenience store to get a gift card. That way, Misty could buy food and drinks later.

When Charlie returned, he gave the card to Misty. She started crying. Charlie hugged her and then said, “God wanted to love on you today. You see, my wife and I could have gone anywhere to eat lunch, but we came here, and we live all the way on the other side of town. God wanted to show you that He knows you and cares about you and what you are going through.”

Justin led them in a prayer for Misty. Charlie hugged Misty again, even though she smelled as if she could use a shower. Emily continued making out a list of items Misty could use to make life a little easier.

On the way home, Charlie asked his wife why she didn’t join in ministering to Misty. She said, “I didn’t know what to say, and you all were handling it.” Charlie paused and then said, “Just being there says a lot. And you could have also hugged Misty. A lot of homeless people miss the feeling, the connection of a human touch. You go to Bible studies, but today was an opportunity to apply it.”

Look around in life. See the needs. Have compassion and do whatever you can to alleviate the need. That’s what the word “compassion” means in the Greek language, and that is what Jesus did.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Mat. 9:36 (NKJV)

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