Entertaining Angels

Flashback...the Newsboys put out a song with this very same title on the Step Up to the Microphone album...ah, nostalgia, gotta love it!!

Today was a day chalked full of different experiences. I had planned on doing some work around the house (tiling and fence repair), but had no idea what God would have in store for me. I was finishing up odds and ends in regards to my to-do list when something unique happened. Bonny & I recycle (as should you all!!). I haven't had the chance to take our bottles and cans in for some time now, so I mentioned to Bonny the other day that I would really like to bless someone who digs in the garbage for cans with our lot in the basement.

I was just coming into the house when I heard the unmistakeable sounds of someone riding on their bike with cans in bags. I quickly ran down into the basement and threw our recycling into bags hoping to catch up with this person. I made my way outside to see this individual stopped beside our garbage bin. I walked up to him and gave him our cans, muttering some clever line like "Lookie what I got!!" Then something awesome happened. Gary, the man I had aimed to bless, began to tell me his story. He lives in the area by us, but has recently fell on hard times with the recession and all. He just lost his job and was out scrummaging for recyclables in order to keep food on his table. He told me that he doesn't normally go looking for cans in dumpsters, but that someone told him to sit down by our garbage bin. Trying to satisfy my curiousity I asked who. Gary said that God told him to sit down and wait.

I didn't know what to say. I stood there with some sort of dumb-founded look on my face and Gary got up to leave. He said that he didn't need to be here any more and it was time for him to go. Hopping on his bike he gave me a big grin and said, "May God be with you." I had the wherewithall to at least utter, "and you too!!"

In Matthew 25 Jesus talks about serving the less fortunate. Summarizing His words, Jesus basically says that whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me. My goal was to bless Gary with cans, and instead I found myself blessed by Gary. I wonder who was the least of these in this situation...Gary or me?