Who Was That Man?

It was a beautiful fall day and truthfully, the last place I wanted to be was working late registration at school. But the other teachers had children and since I was the only one without children, I volunteered.

Dinner breaks were short during registration so I ran down to the local McDonald's to get something to eat. It was as I exited my car that the encounter with the angel began.

I started to go in to the restaurant and I was approached by what I called a "bum" at that stage of my life. He was dirty, smelly, skinny, and obviously wearing someone else's clothes because they hung on him like drapery. I was so focused on getting my dinner that I didn't even notice him coming towards me. If I had, I would have hurried a little more because I was afraid of bums and convinced that every dime you gave them went to liquor, especially the skinny ones.

He came up on my left and very politely asked, "Ma'am, could you spare $.85 so I can get myself a sandwich."

I was startled and instantly afraid of this seemingly harmless older gentleman. Then I felt this "punched-in-the-stomach" feeling which I convinced myself was nothing more than my own hunger.

I responded to the bum, "No, I don't have $.85," which was a half truth. I had a five dollar bill but no change.

He replied, "I promise ma'am, I am hungry and am going straight into the restaurant and get something to eat."

There was that feeling again. Was this guy reading my mind? Or had he just had someone say to him what I was thinking?

I told him "no" again and hurried into the restaurant to get my burger, fries, and diet coke. I was not paying attention when the cashier told me how much my meal cost. I was still shaking from my fear of that man.

I handed her my five dollar bill and she put the change in my hand. I looked at the price on the register and then at my hand to make sure I had the right change. My heart stopped and my eyes started to well up as I stood there looking at, you guessed it, $.85! I was so ashamed of myself for ignoring God's prompting I couldn't even look at the cashier as she handed me my food.

I mumbled a "thank you, have a nice day" and rushed out of the restaurant to find that "bum" which had suddenly become a hungry human being. I was terrified that he was gone so I scanned the parking lot like a sniper looking for his target. Then I spotted him on the sidewalk.

I didn't know his name so I shouted in my best teacher voice, "Hey, Buddy! Do you still need $.85?"

As he began to slowly walk back up the hill (Why didn't I notice his limp and how painfully he walked before?), I practically ran down the hill.

Once he was within earshot, he replied tentatively, "Yes, ma'am."

I joyfully handed him the change in my hand and told him, "Have a great day!"

I returned to my car and witnessed him go into the restaurant, order the cheapest hamburger they sold, and sit down by the large window directly in front of my car.

As I pulled out, I took one more look at the place where I had seen him sit down. He was gone!

The lesson that day was not lost on me. I have since developed a new insight into homeless people. There is an 85% chance that a homeless person you see on the street is a veteran. Truly hungry people WILL be willing to do odd jobs or let you take them to a fast food restaurant and buy them a meal. Some of the homeless are single mothers with children and are trying to keep their family together despite the pain in their heart as they see their children suffering with no home.

As for me, I have since taken sandwiches to the homeless and worked in soup kitchens and missions that serve food once a week to the homeless. Homeless people are just that, people that God created in His image just like He created those of us that are fortunate enough to have a home, car, and food in our stomachs every night. That was God's lesson for me that evening.

Was he one of God's angels? I guess I'll never know. I do know that he was an angel in the sense that God used him to teach me a lesson in compassion.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. ( HEBREWS 13:2 *NIV )