FINE!!!

I was one of the managers of an off-price retail store and we were located across the street from the Union Gospel Mission in Salem.  Next to the mission was a park where many of the homeless would spend their time.

Our building had an overhang, so periodically we would get a person sitting under that overhang who was trying to get out of the rain or wind.  Every now and then, not always, but every now and then, I felt the need to somehow help them out.  I would bring them some water or at times go and buy a hamburger for them and bring it back.

There was one guy who started hanging around a lot.  He would sit by one of the pillars beside our front door and ask customers for money as they came in.  It got so bad that I was instructed by the other managers to tell him to leave.

I told him, “Look, as long as you sit here to get out of the rain, fine. I don’t care. But when you start asking for money from the customers I have to ask you leave because the managers and the customers are complaining. And I don’t want to have to ask you to leave.”

For the most part, he would be good in that sense, but on occasion he would ask someone and I would have to talk to him.  And on occasion, I would get him some stuff that he needed.  Like a tarp for the weather, juice, crackers, some water, and the like.

Now before you go and say, “Tony Brown, what a guy you are” listen up.  I am using this illustration to point out how God leads us in His specific will.

It was a cold, windy, rainy day in March.  It was my lunch hour and I had determined that I would head over to Starbuck’s and get me a vanilla latte and do me some reading.

And as I started walking I see my good old homeless buddy sitting down at the end of the building.  He wasn’t alone, he had friend with him.

It was quite obvious that they were both pretty soaked and trying to stay warm.  I say my ‘hello’s” to them and off I went.  And now for the God conversation. It was in my head, it was in my heart.  It was as loud as inaudible could be.  I know it was Him. And it went something like this.

“So, Tony, where are you going?”

“I’m going to Starbuck’s to get a latte.”
“Boy, a hot drink like that will be pretty good especially on a day like today won’t it?”
“It sure will.”
“What about those guys?” I knew who He was talking about.

“Yea I know, I’ll stop by the store and get them some water.”

“You know they looked pretty cold didn’t they?” I knew what He was implying.
“Well, look, I don’t know if they even like coffee.  And besides, I wouldn’t know how they like it; you know cream, sugar, black.”
“Is there any other hot drink you could give them?”

“Fine. I suppose I could get them some hot chocolate. You know there is two of them, don’t you Lord?”

“Then it’s settled, hot chocolate for two.”
“FINE.”

 

So, off I went to get two hot chocolates for a couple of homeless people of whom I sort of know one of the them.  The other one, this was the first time that I had ever seen him.  Now I am buying for two.

But now at least I can go about my lunch hour in peace and when I am done I can bring them their hot chocolate.  And that will be that.  Oh, no.  If you thought that was the end of it, then my friend, you don’t know God very well.

“So, Tony, what were you going to do at Starbuck’s after you got yourself a nice hot latte?”  As if He didn’t know.

“Well, I thought I would read a bit.  You know God, I brought a book that’s all about you.”
“It’s pretty nice to have something to read during your lunch hour to pass the time away, isn’t it?”
“Yeeeessss?”  I knew there was going to be a point to that question.

 

“What do you think that they do with all of the time that they have?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Maybe, you could get them something to read”
“FINE”  “But I don’t know what to get them.  I don’t know their reading genre.”
“Tony?”
“FINE, FINE”

So, off I went to the Book Bin, a new and used bookstore, to get some reading material for two.  And I knew what I was supposed to get them. There I am at the Christian section of the store looking at Bibles. You do realize that they are not cheap. Even if they are used. And, I am shopping for two.

There I am looking for the cheapest Bibles I can find to give to these guys.  And I have to find two just alike, you know to be fair.  Can I find a cheap one?  Nooo!

“Man, the only two alike are these and they are ten dollars each!”

“And your point is, Tony?”
“FINE”

I buy the two alike used Bibles for ten dollars each, and I proceed to Starbuck’s where I purchase for myself a 16 ounce non-fat Vanilla latte and two twelve ounce, FINE, make that two 16 ounce hot chocolates for my two friends.  And oh, look at the time, my lunch hour is over.

 

Twenty-six dollars later, I am walking in the rainstorm chugging down my latte heading back to work.  My reluctance and my hesitance has now subsided because I knew that I was following God’s direction and I was doing it, one, because He wanted me to, and two, I was doing it because God loved those two guys just as much as He loves me.

And as I approach them, my heart was right.  I told them this. “Here is some hot chocolate to warm your insides.  And here are two Bibles for you so you can know the God that I serve.” 

“I don’t have a lot of money and I can’t do this all of the time, but I want you to know that I serve the God of the universe and He wants you to know that He loves you very much and desires you to have a relationship with Him.  The Bible will tell you all about Him.”

“I am not going to be here next week because I am going on vacation, but when I get back, I will check up on you.”  You should have seen their response.  It was as if I had given them the world. 

 

 And the next week, they were gone and I never saw them again.  But, God’s specific will for me was in the form of two cold homeless guys in need of a hot drink and a book about the Living water.