Yesterday I had the strangest encounter. I was out for my daily walk when I saw a petite, older woman in tatered clothing shuffling with a cane about to cross my path. Her head was down so she didn't see me. I slowed my steps to go around her and passed by wondering who she was, if she was homeless and if there was anything I could do for her. My heart was broken to watch her, but I really didn't know what to do.
As I continued my walk, I recalled a sermon my son Benjamin had preached a few weeks earlier from James 2, on faith without works is dead. Verse 15 particularly stood out in my mind, "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily bread. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it." He also referred to Matthew 25 when Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. To the sheep on His right he says, "I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink..."
I realized that I had to go out of my way not to run into this frail lady. "Jesus," I prayed, "did I just walk past You." "Did I just ignore You dear Lord" "Did I just pass up an opportunity for you to know me through service to this woman?"
I decided that after my walk, I would drive back to the place I had seen this ragged woman. When I did, there she was still wandering around. "Can I do anything to help you," I asked. Then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "What do you do?" I was so startled and wasn't quite sure how to answer her question. So I said the first thing that came to mind, "I teach women the Bible." A big smile lit up her face. "Where do you teach them," she asked. I told her the name of our church. Then she shocked me further by saying, "Do you have a card or an email address, I have been wanting someone to teach me the Bible."
I didn't have a card, but I did give her my name and email address along with the name of our church. She smiled and shuffled away. As she left I realized I hadn't done anything for her. So I called out again, "Can I do anything for you."
"No," she said, "I just want someone to teach me the Bible."
Did I encounter Jesus on my walk? I don't know. But I saw someone in need and instead of silently praying for them or saying, "God bless you," I asked them how I could help. I want Jesus to know me not just from His relationship as God, but I want Jesus to know me as I serve Him when I see the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the needy. With all my heart I want Jesus to say, "Yes, I knew you when you fed Me, when you clothed Me, when you took care of Me."
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