I drove to the market so that I could quickly pick up a few things for my missionary friends in Venezuela. They love tortillas, sauce and magazines. I was leaving for Venezuela the next day. I also had to speak to some teachers in Mexico that afternoon. (My subject was God's Love (I Cor 13) So I had a lot on my plate and time was ticking.
I pulled into the parking lot, parked, and quickly entered the market; in no time I was back out walking across the lot back to my car ... on a collision course with an older man on his walker. He was short, balding and had a sweet face.
The stranger stopped me. Looking up at me with a smile, "Pardon me, he said ... I'm a little tired and wondered if you could give me a ride to my house; it's just a couple of blocks down the street." He turned and pointed toward his house; the opposite direction that I was going.
Oh boy! How inconvenient! I looked at my watch and then ...
Looking at him, I did my best to explain that I really would like to help him out but that I was in hurry and going the opposite direction. I'm sorry I replied ... He interrupted and said "No problem, I'll just wait here and someone will help me out." He smiled.
I turned to head toward my car when suddenly, like a slap on the face, I got the message!
"VON! What are you doing?"
I turned again to the stranger and smiled telling him it would be "no problem; I'll take you." Of course he hesitated and said he understood I was in a hurry and didn't want to be a bother.
Well, we began walking to my car, ever so slowly! I opened the car door and got him in the seat, folded his walker up and placed that in the car.
As we drove through the parking lot he directed me to his house a short distance away. I pulled over, parked and helped him out and helped place him on his walker facing him toward his home.
He started walking, then stopped, turned around and said "Thank you so much! God Bless you" ... and gave me a wink!
I'll never forget his thanks and even more the wink he gave me! I feel to this day it was a Divine moment."
"In that you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me." Matt 25:40
Jesus Incognito.
