Wait a minute!  Did I just miss a blessing?

Well did everyone see the snow today? 

I did, I was out in it, driving to Wally-World to pick up a few groceries.  As I was approaching the intersection of the southbound I-75 off ramp and 321 I noticed a dark haired, bearded man walking over the bridge.  A Hitchhiker, I assumed as he had a backpack on.  But what really caught my eye was that in the midst of the cold and the falling snow, all this man had for a coat was a grey hoodie.

‘Man . . . ‘, I thought, ‘He must be freezing.’  And then I just continued on my way towards Walmart.  I had no sooner passed him by when the thought came to me.

“He could use a coat.”

Continuing on all warm and dry in my car, I thought to myself, ‘Yes he could.’  This was quickly followed by another thought.

“You’ve got a really good coat on.  Why not go back and give him yours?  You can give him your gloves too.  You’re headed to the store anyway.  You can get another while you’re there.”

By now I’m pulling even with Chick-Fil-A.  I do have a really good coat on; with gloves and a hat too.  ‘But do I really need to turn around and go-back?’ 

That internal argument went back and forth as the traffic I was in creeped up the hill.

Finally, as I reached Town Creek I said ‘OK.  I’ll go back and do it.’  I made a u-turn and began heading back to where I had seen the man.  As I passed Chick-Fil-A again I thought I could see a figure walking up the shoulder of 321.  But as I headed up the hill and reached that spot here was no man in a hoodie.  I did my best to look at Ruby Tuesday’s, Krystal and Bimbo’s but I didn’t see anyone matching his build and clothing.  I guess he got a ride.  I passed through that intersection several more times over the next couple of hours, but I never saw the man again.

Why do I tell you this?  It’s not to show you how good a person I am.  (I’m not.)

I tell you this because I didn’t listen to God when I should have.  I know I missed a blessing by not doing what God was asking me.  Hopefully, the man that I should have given my coat to didn’t miss one because of me.  I pray that someone more attentive to God’s requests came along so that as I write this that man is bundled up warmly.

We should be ready to serve God when he asks us.  We should always be prepared to respond without hesitation.  I knew God would repay me for the coat and gloves.  So that wasn’t my excuse. In fact, I don’t have one.

I just drug my feet when I should have just said, ‘YES, LORD!’

Please forgive me.

Your friend,

Roscoe
(A Christian in Training)