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Yesterday I was driving on the West side of Columbus and as I exited the highway, there was a woman holding a sign, "COULD USE SOME HELP"...
Now, let me first start by saying that, (after a life-changing inner-city mission trip to Toronto while I was in High School) I have a place in my heart that aches for the homeless...or the 'sign-holders' or the 'beggars'...I know all are not homeless, but I hurt for the humiliation and inhumanity it takes to wear a sign bearing your struggles with strangers who drive by...I make efforts to look them in the eye and smile, even if I have nothing physical to offer...
But...in this situation, it wasn't the sign that caught my eye. As I drove closer, I noticed one side of this woman's face was bruised to a blueish-purple and so swollen that only a sliver of her eye could peak through. Aside from the obvious 'battle wounds', she had the saddest face I've ever seen. I turned at the light, feeling an urgency to get back to her. I drove to the first fast food restaurant I could find (a couple of miles down the road) and quickly returned to the exit (not totally sure how I was going to maneuver this, since she was 'stationed' at a highway exit ramp), but realized she was no longer there. As I drove past, disappointed, I saw her sitting at the bus stop. I pulled over to talk to her.
My heart raced as she approached my car...I could feel my emotions unable to be controlled...
Me: Are you ok?
Her: um, no, not really...
Me: well...I got you some food...Are you hungry?...
Her: yes, that's so nice...thank you sweetie..
I kissed my hand and then shook hers as I began to cry...terribly.
then I drove away.
I wanted to turn around and do something...something big...take her home with me or sit and pray with her or find her somewhere to stay, save her from this person who hurt her...and instead I said "I got you some food"...yup, that was my 'big save' moment.
As I kept driving I realized just how small I was...that I could have done those things... but I didn't. And that won't stop God from doing whatever He has planned for that woman.
I don't even know her name, but I've been praying for her... and I'm realizing that prayer is the biggest thing I can do.
