Sometimes
we don't know when we have made a difference in someone's life. But, God will
bless us when we are willing to share.
The man
slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of
life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in
her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him like so
many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.
To
his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even
white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she
asked.
"No,"
he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president.
Now go away."
The
woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under
his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I
said to leave me alone."
Just
then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.
"No
problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get
this man to his feet. Will you help me?"
The
officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around
here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
"See
that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him
something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."
"Are
you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in
there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up.
"Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good
deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."
Finally,
and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the
cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the
morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch
had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the
table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all
this. Is this man in trouble?"
"This
lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
"Not
in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that
here is bad for business."
Old
Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll
let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."
The
woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar
with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of
course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their
weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."
"And
do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly
meetings?"
"What
business is that of yours?"
"I,
sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
The
woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She
glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to
join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"
"No
thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then,
perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes,
ma'am. That would be very nice."
The
cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you
right away, officer."
The
officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his
place," he said.
"That
was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."
She
sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him
intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"
Old
Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean
you do look familiar."
"I'm
a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more
than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very
door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?"
the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently
turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
"I
was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city
looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my
last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets
for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this
place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to
eat."
Jack
lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind
the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something
to eat. I said that it was against company policy."
"I
know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast
beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to
go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into
trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the
cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."
"So
you started your own business?" Old Jack said.
"I
got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my
own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her
purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I
want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my
company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you
to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find
the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and
get a place to live until you get on your feet. And if you ever need
anything, my door is always opened to you."
There
were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he
said.
"Don't
thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus.
He led me to you."
Outside
the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going
their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she
said.
"On
the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle
today, something that I will never forget. And... And thank you for the
coffee."
She frowned.
"I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's
black."
The
officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do
take cream and sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He
patted his ample stomach.
"I
don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that
this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."
If
you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing.
If
you have missed some of my emails, you have missed a laugh.
But,
if you have missed knowing my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, you have missed
everything in the world.
God Bless!
Marion