This morning started out as many Monday mornings begin. I had slept through my alarm clock and woke up late. I jumped out of bed and rushed to throw my scrubs on and get out the door to make the commute to work, hoping I wouldn’t be late. As I drove the 45 minute commute, my mood didn’t get better. I safely make it to work and rush to the time clock hoping I haven’t missed my Clock-In time and then make my way to my office.
As I sit down at my desk to enjoying my few pieces of fruit for breakfast the first thing I am greeted with is a blinking light on my phone of new voicemails. Really!? Full of voicemails from patients that always have complaints and are never happy about anything! Yay, I can’t wait to return those calls!! As the morning progressed, my mood stayed in “Bleh, Ugh” mode.
The cup of fruit and water I chose as a healthy choice for breakfast wasn’t cutting it and by 10:00, my stomach was growling! I decided I would run down to the cafeteria and grab an egg white breakfast sandwich on an English muffin, healthy choice that would accompany my fruit I had earlier. As I got my sandwich, I sat down at an empty table and started playing on my phone, dreading the work hours and work week ahead. I had overheard a lady talking with the Kitchen Manager about a man that was sitting in the back corner that looked homeless. I finished my sandwiched, threw my trash away and walked back to my office. As I left, I passed the man, sitting alone, huddled over, shaking, dirty, and wearing layers upon layers of baggy clothes. There was no doubt that this man was in need of help and food. I thought “Surely, someone will get him some food, the kitchen manager is aware of him, she’ll grab him something from the kitchen. Surely, they won’t “shew” him off and send him back out into the streets” I brushed the thought out of my head and kept walking, out of the cafeteria, into the hallway and towards my department.
My thoughts went back to how upset I was that I overslept and didn’t arrive to work at the time I wanted, that I had over 10 voicemails to listen to and return, the stack of fax papers from over the weekend I would have to sort through and how this was just the beginning of another week of arguing with Medicaid. Then I was stopped in my tracks, and immediately my brain went straight back to that man in the cafeteria. I felt so strongly in my heart to turn around, and go back. I was in such shock that God had stopped me in the middle of the hallway and I felt Him so clearly and I immediately without hesitation turned around and walked back to the cafeteria. The man was still sitting alone, huddled over, not bothering anyone. I felt more peace come over me as I walked towards him, I knew I was supposed to do this for him.
As I reached the table that the man was sitting at I said “Excuse me, Sir?”
I was greeted with a face of exhaustion, worn thin, and dark circles under his eyes no older than 40. I asked him if he would please go over to the breakfast bar and have them fix him whatever he wanted and
that I would take care of it.
Immediately, his face lit up, and he showed even a bit of shock, like he had been caught off guard. He replied, “Are you sure, ma’am? You don’t have to do that. I just wanted to come in an sit for a little bit. I’ll be fine.”
“Yes, I am sure. Please go and get you some breakfast! I insist!” I told him. He slowly got up and walked to the breakfast bar. He asked for some eggs and a piece of bacon and I assured him that he could get more than that! I knew he was hungry. As they fixed him a plate full of food and as he got his drink, he would not stop thanking me and he began to tell me his story.
He was 35 years old and everything he had worked for, for 10 years vanished within 10 minutes. He kept repeating to me, “Please ma’am, don’t take life for granted, don’t take what you have, your family for granted.” He had made some wrong choices and his wife separated from him and took the kids with her, from that he was left homeless with nothing. He said he had been living on the streets for the past 60 days, that it took him losing everything he had and hitting rock bottom to realize what all he had been blessed with all along. And he only came in, so he could just sit for a few moments inside.
There was so much I wanted to say to him, so much I wanted him to know. I wanted to tell him that it will get better, that as long as he leans on Christ, God will restore him! That there is help out there for him! That God loves him and will always love him! And that there is hope, that God wants to work in him to have his family reunited, to bring him off of the streets and back into his home. That God wants to work in him to make his life a testimony! I wanted to pray over this man and encourage him to lean into God. But every time I went to talk, I couldn’t get the words out. The only thing I could manage was a smile.
As we walked to the cashier, I asked if I could have them fix him a sandwich and some chips for later, and he responded “No ma’am, you have already done more than you had to. You don’t understand how much you’ve done for me today! This is plenty! I can’t thank you enough for this. Thank you so much! May God Bless you!”
I paid for his meal and he walked over to a table and sat it down, I walked out towards my department and the man ran up to me and grabbed me in a hug and kept saying “Thank you, ma’am. You have been so nice. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God bless you!” I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. The only words I could get out at that time was “God bless you too, sir!” and I walked back to my office, doing my best to hold back the sobs that I felt coming.
My heart was broken. It hurt for this man that I didn’t even know his name. I only knew that God had crossed our paths for each of us to get what we needed at that moment. Though you make look at this experience and think, that this man was the one blessed today, I would beg to differ. I was the one that was blessed today, by this man. The man needed kindness, grace, and love extended to him. He needed a hot meal, and place to escape from the streets and homelessness he was experiencing at this time. He needed to know that he was cared about and things will get better.
And he taught me a great life lesson. I might have slept late, but I had a bed and roof over my head. I might not have gotten to work at the time I wanted to, and have to deal with rude patients from time to time, but I have a good job and an income. I might argue with my siblings and family, but we love each other and are always there for one another. I might not have what I "want" but God has given me everything I need. And instead of huffing and puffing about stupid petty things, I need to be grateful for them. God placed that man in my path to open my eyes to what I was overlooking.
This post isn't to shine a light on myself like, "look at me and what I did." Because I didn't do anything. None of what happened this morning was me, it was all God. 100%, it was God working through me and through that man. This is to shine a light on God and what He does, what he accomplishes when we obey Him and listen to Him! When I thought I was doing something for a man who had nothing, it was actually he who was doing so much more for me! He reminded me of what I need to be more thankful for and not take for granted!
I encourage you to take a step back from your Monday, and look at your life with a new perspective. Look at what you think went wrong today and then focus with Christ-like eyes. Look at what you have that others pray for, that others want! Focus on all the blessings God has given you and then go out and be a blessing to someone! Everyone you meet is in need of something, everyone you meet is in need of a smile, of grace, of love. You are a child of God and you are able to be that for people!!
Go and tell of Christ's love! He has
blessed you for you to go and bless others!!
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