The Visitor or Visiting Angels?

The man screeched into our drive through at work..a little wild eyed...hair a little disheveled.  He hadn't ordered a thing to eat so I was wondering what he was looking for...directions perhaps?

He went into a story about how his uncle had been crushed by an eighteen wheeler and he had to come to town to take care of arrangements and he had just arrived.  He didn't know where the local churches were so he was asking for money assistance from me and my crew.

I told him my crew are all on welfare assistance and it wasn't our pay week but he was welcome to what I had, which wasn't much.  I didn't want to reveal there were only three of us there, just in case it was a set up.  I gave him my 59 cents I had and he asked me to ask the crew anyways.  The woman said no, the cook said "I have some change in my car...open the door." You see the gas station and a few other businesses across the street have been robbed recently so I need to be very careful.

Let me explain something about my cook Will.  Will is about twenty years old and one of the few employees that does not have a police record.  He is wrapped up in his beliefs concerning money.  He plays some rap music and much of the themes seem to be concerned about money.  He laughs and tells a story about going to the Green Hills Mall where people have valet parking to shop.  He said he walked in and when he didn't see prices on the clothing, he knew it wasn't the place for him to be shopping.

Will was determined to help this stranger out.  Also I want to add that Will is black and the man he was helping looked like a middle class white man.

He went and looked in his car and moved the seats and compartments and rustled up all the change he could find and gave it to this complete stranger because in Will's words "we need to help others out with whatever we have to share."

Will also explained that "sooner or later it all comes back around to us..if we share .....others will share with us."

The very next night we all clocked in and began another typical evening shift of work together.  Not more than five minutes in the store phone rang...it was for Will.  Will listened intently and started yelling "thank you Jesus oh thank you Jesus."

Will had been trying to catch on with Nissan here locally and Nissan was finally calling him.  Will just went from minimum wage to double that rate....his rise out of poverty had just begun...or did it? I think Will is richly blessed with inner peace because of his sharing...a richness worth more than a judgment of poverty levels. Will immediately pointed to his sharing the previous night and called it a test.  In his theology he claimed that God was rewarding his sharing kindness....How I wish it all worked this way.  I do know that God does not work inversely and strike down those who didn't share the very next day.  My commentary is not to judge Will's theology and whether God directly inserted his will into this situation or not....

I am just so happy for Will that he shared and he is moving on to a better situation for his life.  I do know that sharing and paying it forward made an impact on Will's heart just as much as the many strangers he has helped...and maybe that is God's blessing on his life more than anything.  Just a thought.....