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

Recently I sat impatiently in the lobby of a tire shop, slightly annoyed by many little things: The celebrity gossip blaring on the TV in the corner, the snow blowing outside, the service delay in my oil change. I watched with curiosity,  and then with more annoyance, as I saw a man pull two large garbage bags out of his car and dump them on the nearby island in the parking lot. As I watched, he opened another door, pulled out more bulging black plastic bags, and added them to the pile. Repeatedly he opened other doors and unloaded more bags, until at least 20 bags were assembled into a pile. Then he circled the pile, examining it carefully, and he entered the tire shop. My annoyance vanished and turned to concern as I recognized the value of those bags. All his belongings sat gathered in the blowing snow, and that little car was his home.

For the next hour we shared the lobby. I watched him pace back and forth; peering through the window to view his possessions outside, then across the lobby to supervise the safety of his car/home in the work area. I quietly prayed for his safety and asked for guidance. Eventually my car was ready. As I paid my bill, I expressed my concern for the man to the clerk and asked how I could help with his bill. As I made a contribution, I was assured that the employees were aware of the man’s situation, and they were giving him a significant discount on their labor costs. Throughout this incident I felt Jesus nudge me from annoyance to concern to action. I heard his voice in the clerk’s words of assurance, acknowledged his attendance in the workshop alongside the mechanic, and envisioned him pacing the floor side by side with this man. A presence permeating a tiny community coming together to support a neighbor. 

Cathy Daniels