A week ago I was at the Kroger gas pump talking on the phone while trying to get the pump started. Now let me add, I was actually waiting on the phone b/c a friend of mine had to take another call. The pump was messing up and said it couldn't read my Kroger card and then it was canceling the transaction, yaddy yada. Now I'm a pro at the gas pump. I don't waste time. I have found the most efficient order to make sure I get the gas pumping quickly;0) it's true... I don't like wasting time at the pump. HEhe!
Well for some reason the pump was just acting up. I hear someone say, "ma'am". I didn't think much of it and then I heard it again really loud "MA'AM!!" I looked behind me and a middle aged man in a nice truck said, "are you gonna talk on the phone or are you gonna pump gas?" WOW! Are you serious?!!! I calmly put the pump back in the machine and took a few steps towards his truck and said, "Are you talking to me?" He then rudely restates his bold statement. I very calmly (this is true I was very calm) let him know he didn't know me and had no right to address me in a rude manner. I told him the pump was messing up and since he was being so inconvenienced he may need to find another pump. His wife was in the truck and you could tell by the look on her face very few stood up to him. He took my advice and found another pump... at another station. I was just shocked at how rude people could be. I was thankful the Lord held my tongue and just let him know he was being inappropriate instead of being inappropriate right back.
Fast forward a week.
Today I was pumping gas and I see a man who is obviously homeless and probably mentally ill ask a couple of people if he could make a call on their phone. Both men he asked didn't really even give him eye contact and said "no". Oh it broke my heart. But those of you who know me know I have the most ridiculous amount of compassion, like maybe to a fault. He began to walk off and then turned around and came towards me. He said, "do you have a phone I could use to make a phone call?" I said, "absolutely". I got my iPhone out of the car and gave it to him but he wasn't quite sure how to use it so he asked if I could dial the number for him. As he was waiting for someone to answer he began pacing around my vehicle, I said with a smirky smile "okay now if you're gonna borrow my phone you're gonna have to stand by me". He said, "oh no I'm not gonna steal from you. I promise I'm not gonna take your phone." I looked him in the eye and said, "I know that. I believe you but it wouldn't be wise of me to let you out of my sight" :) He then sat there with me by the pump. My eyes just continually welled up. He finally got a hold of someone. When he went to return my phone he said, "thank you. All these folks with a phone and not nobody gonna let me make ONE call". I said "you're welcome and God bless you! I'm going to pray for you." He then stood up and looked at me with the most sincere face and gasped, "My momma is saved!! My momma is saved! I get it. That's why you let me borrow your phone." He continually thanked me and wished to pay me back. I told him, "there's no need!!! This isn't my phone. It's His! God doesn't give us things to hoard, He gives us things to help those in need". Oh my heart was full as we shook hands. When I got in the car I verbally said, "God you don't want me to live life SAFELY!!! You want me to seek you in EVERY circumstance."
Lord Jesus protect my friend tonight!
