As I finished up my purchase the person “next in line” approached the cashier. I would guess him to be in his mid-20s. I smiled at him as he approached. He said, “How are you?” I gave the typical response, “I’m fine. Thank you, how are you?” To my surprise, he answered, “I’m struggling.” It caught me off guard. I wasn’t sure how to respond. I wanted to ask him, “How can I help?”, but I knew he would ask me for money, and somehow that didn’t feel like the right thing to do. So, all I could muster was, “I’m sorry.”

I left the store and took my items to my car. As I moved them from the shopping cart to the trunk of my car, I watched the man walk out of the store, turn right, and walk slowly down the sidewalk. I felt my “I’m sorry” was a bit lame. I wondered if there was anything else I could have done for him, perhaps given him a bit of my time?

I was going to Starbucks next. I figured I’d put my shopping cart away, and if he came back my way, I’d ask him if I could buy him a cup of coffee. The coffee shop was just down at the other end of the shopping center, across the parking lot.  He could simply meet me there. I put the cart away and walked back to my car. He did not come back my way.  But wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I climbed in my car and closed the door, he started back up the sidewalk. I was parked out pretty far, so I know there is no way he saw me. Now I had a choice to make.  Do I drive up to him and offer to buy him coffee, or do I leave it alone?

Had he walked right by me again, it would have been easy to make the offer, but now I would have to pursue him deliberately. That didn’t feel right. Not only would that be way out of my comfort zone, but there’s always a real concern of stepping into something that may not be the safest situation for a single woman. Wondering why I still had a nagging feeling that I was supposed to do something, I got in my car and drove to the other end of the shopping center.

I didn’t go into the coffee shop just yet. I waited a moment or two trying to figure out why I was feeling odd. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but again I thought, “If he crosses my path again, I’ll make the offer.”  I quietly watched as he turned the corner around the shopping center. At this point, I was feeling a little bit like a stalker. Weird.  I figured I’d go pick up a book at the Book Store before going inside the Starbucks next door. As I put my car in drive, he stepped off the curb and started walking across the parking lot, toward the Book Store. What are the chances? I thought he couldn’t possibly be going to the same place I just decided to go. However, I took the long way around the parking lot to buy a little time and then parked my car in front of the store.

I usually park in a space directly in front of the store. However, I wanted to give myself a little more room, so I parked one row back. As I pulled into the space, I realized the man had stopped on the sidewalk, almost directly in front of the store. At this point, it was pretty clear I was going to have to speak to him again. What would I say? How incredibly awkward, but I was willing.

As I approached, a woman who had parked where I usually would got out of her car. She was no more than five seconds ahead of me. I did not hear him speak to her, but I saw her engage. “Now what?” I thought. They were very focused on their conversation, and I quickly realized I should not interrupt, so I slowly walked into the store to get my book.

I made my purchase, and as I turned to leave the woman walked into the store, leaving the man to again stand alone on the sidewalk. I smiled at her and said, “Did he ask you for money?” She said he did, but she didn’t give him any. She said what she gave him was encouragement and ideas for job opportunities to turn his life around. I told her I also felt giving him money was not the right thing to do, but I was going to offer to buy him a cup of coffee.  As we were talking the store manager was nearby. He wasn’t a part of our conversation, but he was listening to us very intently.

As the woman and I finished our conversation the manager intentionally went outside ahead of me. The man had started back across the parking lot, but the manager stopped him. The manager started a conversation with the man.  Again, I have no idea what words were exchanged, but the manager invited and escorted this man back into the store. As I walked past the two of them on my way out, the manager was quietly speaking and had the man’s full attention. I looked at the other woman and said, “I guess I wasn’t supposed to buy him coffee after all.”

Was I a participant or an observer? Perhaps my role was to have a conversation to be overheard by a store manager which prompted him to reach out to a stranger. Or maybe my role was that of an observer. I do know that in a matter of less than an hour I saw someone in need get ministered to by two strangers, completely unrelated. I saw two divine appointments take place to remind me of how God uses us to work in the lives of others. Seeds most often get planted by one and watered by another.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13

Wishing you joy and peace,

Lorrie