Grocery Grace

I recently heard a woman share this story. She was at the grocery store when a stranger approached her. He told her that his wife and daughter had recently been killed in a car accident and he had spent everything he had on the funeral and costs. But he now needed to buy diapers for his grandchild and was asking for help.

Like any decent human, she agreed and told him to go get the diapers he needed and meet her at the counter. As he left, she knew that she would not have the money to buy the luxury items she had in her basket if she helped him, so she quietly discarded them on the counter. She then explains the inner struggle she faced with “how much” to give up and offer him, and then whether or not to ask the man if she could pray for him.

There is a story in Acts where a beggar approached Peter and John and asked fro money too. They told him they had none, but did offer him Jesus instead. And in the name of Jesus, he was healed! How often do we pass by the less fortunate thinking we have nothing to offer? Peter and john had “nothing to offer” either, buy these standards, except for the dignity of recognizing the man as a valuable person and the healing of Jesus Christ. Doesn’t that go a little farther than a few coins?

In the story, as they were leaving, the lady asked the man if she could pray. She knew it would not probably end in such a miracle, but decided it was right to do. So she prayed. No “miracle” happened. No healings. She may never know if that moment changed his life or not. But I am sure at that moment, this man felt a love and grace he needed. God was alive and active fro just a few minutes in his existence.

Let us never not choose to reach out because we are unsure of the outcome. Let us not choose to not do things due to fear of rejection, or looking different. Let us simply choose to act in ways that Jesus would act. Let us simply “walk like Jesus walked”.