In his gentle way....

I met a man last night that touched me. He was out front of Trader Joes sitting on the curb when you pull into the parking lot. There are often men there with signs asking for food or help.

 

This mans sign simply read HELP. That was it. HELP. Having been at outreach the night before, and not had a chance to unload my car, I still had groceries. I got out, and walked over to him and asked if he was hungry. He said he was, and introduced himself as Steven. I told him my name, and he said that it  meant  pricless friend. I gave him some jerky, a bananna, and some granola bars. He would not take more than he could eat. He asked if I had any liquid. Told him no, but I would bring something out for him.

 

When I came out of the store, I took him a bottle of tea, and sat on the curb next to him. We talked for some time. He told me about his alcoholism, and how it had distroyed his marriage. That he was trying the 12 step program, but that is was not the total answer. I asked him if he believed in Jesus, and he told me he did. That Jesus was his ultimate hero for having been nailed to the cross for his sins. We began to cry a little together. Like so many, he had many excuses for believing, but not turning his addiction over to the Lord. I told him that Jesus only wanted for him to cry out, and turn himself totally over to the God. He sharedwith me how when he walked down the isle of a store, the bottles cried out to him. The demons in the bottles wanted him to free them. That he almost always gave them aid.

 

I could see that this gentle man was a nurturer, and was willing to help all but himself. I told him that. I told him that I could not totally understand what it was like to have an addiction, but that I knew it is a life long struggle. Again, I told him that he needed to turn this all over to the Lord, and trust that He would be there for him always. That Jesus promised that He would never leave us once we came to Him. In His gentle way, He will heal us.

 

As it started to get dark, and cool off, he noticed that I was getting cold. He said I should go. We prayed for each other. He that I would stay happy, and have desert. Me, that he would allow the Lord to rescue him. I got up and walked away. When I drove out of the parking lot, we waved good-by to each other.

 

Father, my prayer for Steven, is that he will call You to him, and release himself into your care. That he will give his all to You, and never look back, only forward. That You will be his hero in real life, so that he can testify to Your wonder. In his gentle way. 

 

Tq