WE MET IN THE PARKING LOT

It was a cold winter morning.   I had just arrived at church.  My husband was out of town that weekend.  I try and remember to ask the Lord to direct me to just the people He intends for me to meet and interact with each day.  Today was no exception, but it happened sooner than expected. 

After parking my car I was meandering from the car to the entrance of the church.  The parking lot wasn’t hosting a crowd of people at that moment, as I was a little early.    On my way into the building I noticed a young woman heading in the same direction, but I was “on mission” to get into the building.

However, God’s Spirit paused my steps and caused me to stop, turn around and “notice this young gal.”   She seemed lovely and very friendly.   I observed that she had some sort of struggle in the way she related to me.   She seemed to struggle with her words, but her bright smile warmed up our conversation.

Searching for conversation, I asked her if she had ever attended here at the church before:  and wouldn’t you know, she was “new.”

I know “new” first hand.   It can be scary and intimidating to enter a place where you know no one and where there are groups of people and no one speaks or even acknowledges your presence.

Being new, I thought it wise to introduce her to the ladies room and then we walked into the sanctuary together.  We were both alone, so I took her arm and said, “Let’s sit together.”    I had no idea of what would take place in that service….for her….or for me.

She was new all right; not only to the church but she was unfamiliar as to how to conduct oneself during a service.  She may have thought it was similar to a movie theater because she was trying to conduct her own interactions with me throughout the service.

Bless her heart, she was making comments and asking questions all through the service.  I moved into a more mothering role and had placed my hands gently over my mouth to suggest she might want to be quiet for a while, but I think she interpreted that as “turn up the volume in her voice.”   So I needed to initiate a “shuuu sound,” and told her we could talk more after the morning service.   People were beginning to notice our presence in a more pronounced way. 

Now at this point of sharing this encounter with you, I could just pass over what was brewing in my heart…and it wasn’t a pretty sight.   For a few minutes I couldn’t wait until the service was over so I could just excuse myself and tell this young gal with an inquiring mind, that I needed to get home.

The service ended; however, the Lord hadn’t finished the sermon instructions for my heart.  Gosh, I feel I’m always in class…and I needed to be.

Coffee, tea and donuts were served afterwards.  So I pointed to the area where she could just help herself to a refreshment.  You can just about figure out what’s coming next in the Lord’s Sunday morning agenda for me.  Before I could manufacture a way out of this scenario, I found myself escorting her over to the tea and bought her a donut.  This young woman needed someone to just “pay attention to her and love on her,” even if it felt uncomfortable to me. 

Comfort zone seems to be a theme in this process of becoming more like Jesus, doesn’t it?    We shared a little about her life and needs over tea.

It wasn’t long before she had engulfed her donut and finished her tea.  Suddenly she was ready to leave.  She threw away her cup and out the door she went with a big smile and a goodbye to me.  There seemed to be no indication that our “Sunday rendezvous” was about to end so abruptly.  

I had experienced two sermons that morning.  One in the sanctuary and the other over tea and a donut.  She was my teacher that morning!   And I was her student.

This was another required lesson in the “character class” of learning how to express love to this precious young woman whom the crowds weren’t drawn to.  My heart was shaped more like Jesus’ heart that morning….and I needed that.

The following two Sundays I kept looking for her arrival, but never had the pleasure of seeing her again.  She forever changed how I look at the “scenery of people” arriving in the parking lot.   That morning God was placing me next to my sermon….who wore a lovely smile, especially after a donut and a big hug goodbye.