Nov
2
2018
My Friend
Posted in Daily Living 4 Comments
I began to talk to her years ago.
She worked in the organic section of my grocery store.
She was a hard worker.
I never saw her idle.
Saying hello each week soon turned into short conversations.
Short conversations soon became longer conversations.
I heard so much about her life during those longer talks.
Things were not always easy for her.
She is a single mom.
She has two young children.
She is doing an amazing job.
I remember one conversation in particular.
Through our talks, she knew that my faith is very important to me.
She knew that I teach Bible study.
I lovingly challenged her to get involved in a church.
She knew that for her children’s sake, finding a church was something she must do.
I was very led to give her a Bible.
She was delighted to receive it.
I got a Bible for her children as well.
Soon after that, she told me that she was moving.
She was leaving her family and all her support and was moving across the country.
My heart sank.
I knew all the things she had here.
I was concerned about what she would have there.
She told me that the Bibles were packed up with her things.
She told me that she planned to read the Bible to her children once they got settled.
I care about you, I told her, I care that you spend time in God’s Word.
It amazes me how quickly a friendship can deepen when the Lord is involved.
God is always at work.
Even when we are not aware, God is working in all the details.
God cares that others know Him.
God often uses us and our little bit, so we can introduce Him to others.
I remember the last day I saw her.
I remember giving her a hug, or maybe she gave me a hug.
I was sad that day.
I was concerned about her.
Every week I noticed that the organic section of the grocery store did not look the same.
I saw other people working in that section of the store.
I saw other people stocking shelves.
It’s just they did not do the job like she did; it never looked neat and organized after she left.
Some coworkers that she was close to, knew that she and I had become friends.
One coworker in particular knew that I cared about her well being.
She would fill me in from time to time.
The move across the country was not what my friend expected it to be.
I wondered if she would ever come back.
I wondered if she would get her old job back again if she did return.
One day, I had to wonder no more.
One of her close friends stopped me and told me that she was back.
I could not wait to see her.
She was not in the store that day.
I knew that the following week I would see her.
I was eager to hear about her children and her life in the year that she was gone.
The following week, I did not see her in the organic section.
I wondered where they put her.
As I went up and down the aisles, I did not see her.
Suddenly, I heard: There she is!
My friend came running over to me.
She gave me a hug or maybe I gave her a hug.
I was so glad to see her.
In the first few minutes, all I wanted to hear about were her children.
The move across the country was not what she expected.
It was difficult for many reasons.
She learned a lot through the pain.
She is home now; her family and her network of support are here.
She is working in a different section of the store.
If someone asked me where they put her, I would not even have to guess.
The new section for which she is responsible is neat and orderly.
The shelves are always full.
I saw her this week when I did my shopping.
We talked.
I asked her about a few things that we talked about the week before.
I was pleased with her answers; things are going well for her.
We talked about church again.
I suggested a church that is located near her.
We shared phone numbers so I could text her the information.
As I was showing her the church’s website, someone came up to talk to her.
This young woman knew my friend.
She actually said that she recognized her voice when she heard it on another aisle.
She did not see me standing there.
I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to interrupt, the young woman said.
Oh that’s OK, my friend said.
We’re family.
She had no idea how much her words blessed my heart.
Two words that spoke volumes.
You see my friend and I do not have the same color skin.
My friend and I are an entire generation apart.
I am probably the age of her own mother.
But we’re family.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
My friend was right.
We are family.
We are both made in the image of God.
Because of Jesus, we both can call God our Father.
What if we only saw what we have in common instead of the ways we are different?
We are created by God and made in His image.
That means we are more similar than we are different.
We forget that.
Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
Without even knowing it, my friend looks at my heart.
Did I hug her or did she hug me?
It doesn’t matter.
We are family and members of a family hug each other.
Oh Gina, You made me cry with this story. Thank you so much for sharing it and continue loving on your friend.
Michele,
My friend’s words touched my heart.
To think that she considers me family meant the world to me.
I will continue to pour into her life, as God allows.
Blessings,
Gina
Gina
What a touching story of friendship. Yes we are one big family, created in His image. The song ‘we are family ‘ has been on my head & on my heart especially since last weeks masacre in Pittsburgh. We are more similar than we are different. To me, it’s about reaching out, taking the first step toward another. Be blessed my friend !
Amen, Linda.
How I pray the world catches on!
May God uses us as lights for Him.
Blessings,
Gina