Every other Friday is a day off. Every other Friday I go to the get my hair done. This day off like every day off I had a lot of errands to run afterward before I settle down. This Friday my appointment was an hour later than the usual time, albeit still very early.
This damp cold, somewhat rainy Friday, when I parked, I saw a young woman with a little dog settled back in the alcove of a doorway to a credit union building. As I went as usual to the rear ATM to withdraw some funds, I ran the possibilities for this girls situation through my mind. She could have been waiting for the business to open. She didn't seem to be a homeless person, yet she seemed to be finding shelter there.
I went back to get my things out of the car and then I went over to her. I couldn't just leave her there. She hadn't eaten. She was cold. Her dog was shivering. She was surprised and glad to be asked to use my car as a shelter while I got my hair done. What's your name she said and I told her. And what's yours I asked? Brittany she said. I felt there the cold couldn't get to them directly, and the body heart would warm the car up even more. I wanted to take her into the shop, but when the owner arrived, he might not be pleased.
In the shop, talking with my friend who does my hair about the past two weeks and today and with others in the shop, my mind kept considering the young lady. I realized that the study I intended for the day could be started earlier. I could do the errands later in the evening when I had to be out and about again anyway. That left me a little time to see what was going on with this young lady. My friend reminded me not to be Lord led, not heart led. when I departed.
The young lady had fallen asleep as suspected, her and the dog. She didn't hear my tap on the window and barely the remote opener. I took her to get something to eat after fueling my car. Her cellphone was inaccessible to her at the moment. I let her use my cellphone to try and locate her friend, to try to get access to her things. All things were not working out. She didn't know where to go, what to do. I didn't want to just leave her. She considered her options and she seemed to be lacking any. Then ... as we sat in my car in an Ontario parking lot she asked me 'a really big favor', if I would drive her to Perris, CA. Although not for long, I gave consideration to this 36 mile drive on this Friday of cold intermittent rain. I had just gotten gas and the Lord had just opened up my day from my usual activities.
Letting the dog out for one last time, we rode the 10 to the 215 out to Perris. She had opened up earlier and continued to do so. She had cheered up before when we had eaten and then despaired when she couldn't locate her friend. Now she talking easy about family, friends, the dog and past pets, jobs and her life in general. She knew the Lord and was very familiar with the gospel artists on my radio station. Kirk Franklin is a favorite of Brittany's. Just the past week she was baptized at a church in Moreno Valley. She shared plans about how was going to get her life together as we got lost on rural streets of Perris and eventually found our way.
Today Brittany found good people in the world. She realized mistakes she had made, and was planning on moving on. Today Brittany knew people on facebook that were my friends were praying for her. Today she was glad she knew Jesus! Today I was glad I knew Jesus, because Jesus took Brittany to a safe place to rethink her life and let me meet her and share in that.
As I drove home with a rich contentment I wondered how the 'good samaritan' felt that day he stopped and helped someone. Did he consider the inconvenience, how this might alter his schedule, how the expense might set him back? We know the others who had gone before him had their considerations. Did he consider possible harm, adverse effects, the possible loss of something for taking this time? Did he too feel a rich contentment? Did the person he had cared for realize that they had found good people in the world? I wondered. And I was grateful to ponder these things rather than to wistfully wonder what ever happened to that young lady left huddled in the cold of an early morning'.
When our 14 year old came home from school, I shared my day with him. He said to me, "you know when Dad preached Sunday, he said we would all be tested this week," and I remembered. Yes he did. Be it big or small we are always tested. Sometimes when a test is heralded, we look for it - is it this, is it that? I didn't. Just like when I was 13 and told I would marry a pastor one day, I forgot in the business of life. I remembered that foretelling in a conversation with my husband, then to be; a conversation that was yet before he was even in the path of being ordained. Now, recalling 'a test' was in the pastor's message, I realized although unwittingly involved I was willing. God just wants us to be willing. The Samaritan was willing. The Samaritan and I passed the test.
Be willing!
Luke 10:25-27
