Randall, a totally non-random homeless guy

 

well my dear ones,

 

 

I was going to post something last night,

but I had the impression it was not the time,

although I had no idea why.

 

I found out why this morning.

 

I stopped at a gas station

on my way home from a trip

and ran into a random homeless guy,

(actually, I believe

 Randall is a totally non-random homeless guy;

 I don’t see “random” as being a factor

 in how God utilizes people).

 

I gave Randall some money

(my wife always sets aside some money

 each week for any homeless people

 we happen upon; and sadly these days,

 there are more of them all the time),

and he started tearing up;

he told me that,

“I don’t know why God’s still leaving me alive,”

as he had nearly died three times already.

 

I said since he was still around,

God must have some plan for him.

 

I was about to move on

but I could see Randall needed to talk;

out of respect for this war veteran,

I stayed and listened to his story.

 

He had an accident,

he went broke,

he was reduced to living in the woods

behind a restaurant,

and he picks up cans to earn money.

 

The thing that irritates him the most:

at the end of each day,

the restaurant throws all their food

that was not sold that day

into a steel dumpster.

 

Randall takes all this stuff out

and feeds it to the birds,

some raccoons,

and some abandoned cats

(who could obviously never

 extract the food on their own).

 

We prayed together

and I gave him a hug,

while wondering when the last time was

that he had any human contact.

 

Later on, as I was driving away,

I was thinking about

one of the things Jesus said:

“Look at the birds of the air,

 for they neither sow nor reap

 nor gather into barns;

 yet your heavenly Father feeds them.”

 

I realize that while in this world

we see as “through a glass, darkly,”

yet it hit me that one of the small ways

that God cares for his creatures

is having this homeless man care for them.

 

Personally, I find that kind of cool,

like that Randall is caring for

“the least of these.”

 

In the world’s eyes,

that may be small,

but in God’s eyes,

I think Randall is doing big stuff,

for which he will one day hear,

“Well done, good and faithful servant,”

since his trust is the same as that

of the thief on the cross.

 

Randall may not be rich in worldly wealth,

but I believe he has a mansion

waiting for him in heaven,

and more power to him on that.

 

Have a great week. =)

 

grace, peace, and love to you,

dave

 

 

“In my Father's house are many mansions:

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again, and receive you unto myself;

that where I am, there ye may be also.”

--- Jesus (John’s gospel 14:2-3)