It just takes five minutes
By Christie Weakly, USA
After I made myself a really awesome maxi skirt last night, I decided to go back to the fabric store with my mom for material to make more clothes since the first one turned out pretty well. After gathering all my desired materials at the store, we waited for our turn at the cutting counter. When we heard our number, we walked over. I was a bit miffed when the girl at the counter said, “What do you want” in a rather abrasive tone. On the other hand, my mom was unaffected. She asked the girl if she had a long day. She said yes, and that she works four jobs. Life has been really hard. Then she added, “I’m about to be a mom, so I gotta make ends meet.”
As my mom interacted with her, we found out that she had grown up in the foster system, never had a mom, and her brother goes in and out of jail. When she found out that she was pregnant, everyone in her life told her to abort the baby. The father’s mom who bought the house they’re living in said that she’d kick the girl and the baby out of the house if she decides to keep the baby. Regardless, she decided to keep the baby.
Good grief! I wouldn’t have known so much about a person even if I have spent one month with her! And it took my mom only five minutes. Then mom promptly ran (and I do mean ran) over to a neighboring store to buy something for her baby. She told the girl that God sees her and that He’s proud of her for her choice to keep the baby even though everyone in her life said to abort it. The girl started to cry. She thanked us profusely for caring, listening and helping. She said her friend has been inviting her to church, but she couldn’t make it as she works on Sundays. Now she would try to attend a night service. My mom wrote down her phone number on the gift and told her to keep in touch.
On the way home, I thought about how selfish and naïve I was. All I saw was that the girl wasn’t very nice to us. But mom was able to see past that to something more.
And indeed, sometimes I think we get caught up in the fact that a person has sinned—that she’s pregnant and living with her boyfriend—that we don’t see what he or she really need. That person doesn’t need to be told she made a mistake—she needs Jesus! She needs someone to have compassion on her and support her. Who’s going to throw her a baby shower? Who’s going to be excited when the baby is born? Everyone else wanted her to abort it. She’s all alone.
So many people in this world are alone, and they don’t need others telling them that their lives are in pieces. They know that. But they don’t know that Jesus knows them and wants to bring them into a life of wholeness. He wants to heal them. They are His creation too. And how will they know unless Christians allow ourselves to be conduit of His love.
So many people in this world are alone, and they don’t need others telling them that their lives are in pieces. They know that. But they don’t know that Jesus knows them and wants to bring them into a life of wholeness. He wants to heal them. They are His creation too. And how will they know unless Christians allow ourselves to be conduit of His love.
I was so humbled by what happened that I’ve resolved to pray every day. May God help me to see people the way He sees them. And when an opportunity comes my way, may He enable me to seize it.
People’s souls are hanging in the balance. What if the girl at the fabric store decides to go to church? What if she becomes a Christian, and this baby she’s carrying grows up to do great things for God?
God wants to seek and save the lost. When He looks for someone to use, may He find me ready. Are you with me?
