conversations, blessed with food

Hey man, just wanted to talk to you about something that’s been troubling my heart.

Remember yesterday, brother, on your way to the grocery store to buy a few things you needed for dinner? That man standing on the corner holding a sign that said, “Hungry, please help.” Remember what you did, bro?

You rolled down your window. He came to your window with a smile and anticipation. Not at all threatening or demanding. And what did you do? Remember?

You told him to go get a fucking job and gave him the finger.

You didn’t see what he did or hear what he said as you sped on down to your grocery store. He folded his hands over his chest and said, “God bless you, man.”

I saw it and it broke my heart.

Now, what could you have done differently?

Maybe you could have given him that 10 bucks you won in last night’s poker game with the guys. Yeah, a bunch of rowdy, cigar smoking buddies they were, but they’re your friends from the Tuesday night prayer group from the church you attend every Sunday.

Or maybe you could have said, “Jump in, let’s go to Wendy’s and get burgers and fries?” He may have had some interesting stories about his camp in the nearby woods and what he has to do to survive every day.

But you thought he smelled ripe and you didn’t want to stink up your car.

Yeah, I saw it all brother. I was standing next to that man. “Inasmuch as ye have done unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done unto me.” matthew 26

You didn’t know that man was also a veteran like you. Only he did not come back to the States as blessed as you. No, he suffered deep emotional scars that followed him for the rest of his life. Couldn’t keep a marriage together, couldn’t hold down a decent job, couldn’t maintain a home and ultimately found himself living in a tent in the woods. No, he wasn’t camping, he had no options. Considered suicide but faith in the Lord would not let him do that either. Like I said, no viable options.

He served his country but became a throwaway, broken statistic. And, my brother, he was hungry like you were as you drove to the grocery store. His faith kept him shiny side up in the worst of times, times that most could not endure nor want to survive.

And, he was a Christian like you profess to be. Just alot less lucky in things of the world.

“For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison and ye visited me not.” matthew 26

And Gabby says, “Amen, Lord, I hear you.”