Chili

Yesterday I went to pick up my son from an event at the high school he will be attending and on the way back home we took a different exit off the interstate than normal because we were meeting my wife and daughter for lunch. As I was approaching the offramp, I could see ahead an image on the left side of the road and immediately I knew what it was, a person holding a sign. Well, I did what comes normal, I pulled right up to the light and didn't even look his way. But, I noticed something...my son was leaning toward the back of the truck in efforts to read the homeless man's sign. Guess what happened next? Yep, the Holy Spirit began to give me a "Whoopin"!

I've preached the scripture, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." (Matthew 25:35) for years, but I found myself pulling off when the light turned green. I asked my son as I was pulling off what the sign said, "will work for food". I kept driving and arrived at the place we were meeting my wife and daughter. My son and I got out of the truck and walked in the restaurant and I had remembered my wife giving my son a $20 bill for the school event. I asked him if he'd used the $20 to which he replied that he had not. I asked him for it and I put it in my wallet. He looked at me with a questioned faced as if he knew exactly what I was going to do.

After we ate, my wife went back to work and my daughter, son and I went back to the offramp. As I approached the offramp I told my son to get in the back seat so that the homeless gentleman could ride up front. My daughter was a little apprehensive about the whole, put him in the truck with us, so she asked me, "What if he has a gun" to which I replied "Then we both will have one" or something like that.

Long story short, We took him to an establishment and I told him to order anything he wanted. Come to find out all he really wanted was a bowl of chili. It was 97 degrees outside! I ordered him more than he requested, gave him the change left over and sat with him for a few minutes. i had prayer over his chili, burger and fries. He then turned around and prayed for me. My heart felt good to show my son and daughter that knowing I would probably never see "Donnie" again, it is always good to listen to the Holy Spirit when He reminds you of scripture.

Donnie was hungry for chili and he didn't let a 97 degree day stop him from the opportunity afforded him. We must seize every opportunity afforded us to be the hands and feet of Jesus for the Kingdom of God! Thank you Donnie for allowing me to be humbled to listen to what I've been preaching and also to give my kiddos a teachable moment on how to be Christlike. Now when I order a bowl of chili I'll be thinking of the opportunities afforded me.