I remember going shopping one day with my grandma. My brother and cousin were with us. We pulled into the Goodwill parking lot and immediately I saw him. My heart broke. He was so far away from where he was trying to go. A man in a wheelchair was trying to wheel himself to the nearest Walmart. This man was filthy. He smelled, was missing quite a few teeth and both of his legs. I remember saying “Grandma, pull over! I want to push him to Walmart.” She didn’t stop right away, and she actually told me I wasn’t allowed. BUT eventually I was able to make my way over to that man and push him to Walmart. (side note: always listen to your elders;) ) I talked with him for a little bit and then went about my day. I never talked to the man about Jesus and I never even offered to pray for him.
Years later I came home from college for Christmas break. I was sitting in the car with my brother as my mom and dad grocery shopped. My brother turned around and said, “Kaleigh, lets play the honesty game.” I said, “What’s that?” “It’s where we can ask each other anything we want to and we have to answer the other person honestly,” he said. If any of you have ever had a 17-year-old brother or son, you can imagine the level of shock I was in. I was so worried there was something he wanted to confess to me and not our parents. I don’t mind being honest, but I was not looking forward to this game. I laughed and told him that he could go first. He turned around and with a very serious face said, “Kaleigh, have you ever done something or not done something that was right because you were afraid of what your friends would think?” OF COURSE. He went on to say that he and his friends were at a restaurant when he saw a homeless man outside. He made a comment that they should buy him food and his friends openly disagreed. He told me that all he could think about was the time I pushed that man to Walmart. Needless to say, the man my brother saw, did not go hungry that day.
TEARS. Tears would not stop flowing when I got home. I had forgotten all about the man I met in a wheelchair one day, but my brother didn’t.
All it takes is one. One person to be kind. One person to stand up for what is right. One person to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
One person who dares to be BOLD and share Jesus Christ. How well this world knows Jesus is by how well WE represent him. When we stop living for the approval of man, peace and freedom is found in doing the right thing.
All you have to do is the RIGHT thing, and God will take care of what is left.
“Be strong and courageous. The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.