As I sat at my office desk, with the window open and feeling a gentle breeze, I noticed a woman crossing the church parking lot outside. She heard me talking on the phone and patiently waited by my window until I hung up. I was on the phone with a prospective mission team talking about ministry opportunities in Horry County and this lady stood before me. Was this going to be another interruption to my busy day- or was it a ministry opportunity?
I hung up the phone, and just as I suspected, she walked over and said those same words I hear four or five times a week: “Can you help me?” Each time this happens, an entire process of things begin to run through my mind: What do they really want, are they intoxicated, under the influence of drugs, homeless, wanting money or help today with no plan of action for tomorrow?
She rested her chin in her hands and shared her story with me. As I listened to her sad story, I was trying to find truth and validity to what she was sharing with me. In the four years I have been here, I have seen most everything imaginable, heard more stories than a book can hold, and been lied to and burned time and time again. But what if she is really telling me the truth? I want to do the right thing.
I reflected as I listened: How would Christ handle the situation? “You look like you need a hug; I know your mom and dad, and you are their precious little baby girl. How beautiful you are, just the way I created you. Come here and let me give you a hug, something to eat, and drink. Oh, how I long to have a relationship with you!”
I invited her around to the front porch, and she waited while I searched through the staff house looking for something to give her to eat. I found a can of Diet Coke, a bottle of water, and two Little Debbie snack cakes. I placed them in a bag and went upstairs to get her a Bible. When I came outside, I began to explain to her that the $4 she asked for to pay for a room for the evening was hers as well as the food and drinks in the bag.
I asked her if she had a relationship with Christ, and she said yes. I asked her how someone gets to heaven, and I got a “works” answer. I then opened up the Bible that I was giving her and, sharing with her for a while, I said, “The food and money are yours with no strings attached. You can take them and leave, but I would like to offer you something so much more. Would you like to pray and ask Christ to come into your life now that you know the only way to heaven?”
She said yes! She closed her eyes and repeated after me as I walked her through a prayer. With a big smile on her face and a tight hug, I now knew her as a sister in Christ. I no longer noticed the stench of her clothes, had hints of doubt of her story, or even noticed how dirty she was. This was not what mattered. What mattered was that I will now have a bond with her for eternity in heaven with our Father.
What if I had ignored her or told her I can’t help her or sent her on to another mission? I would have missed the blessing God had set up and intended just for me that day.