Deuteronomy 23:5 – The Lord thy God loved thee. (KJV)
1 John 4:7-8 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (KJV)
Every morning, on a grassy patch in the traffic circle at the busy entrance to the little city, he stands, waving, blowing kisses and calling, "God loves you and so do I! Have a good day now, darlin'. God loves you!" to the commuters as they hustle around the circle on their mopeds, in their cars, on the buses, making their way to work.
A diminutive little soul, his wide-brimmed hat shelters him from both the sun and the rain. His trousers are held up with suspenders atop his plaid shirt. A little knapsack, probably with provisions of water, snack, sunscreen and Bible, sits atop the metal pole holding the sign signifying proper turns in the traffic circle.
Not all are receptive to his good-natured goodwill. Some who see him every day are irritated. Some send him good wishes back with a honk, a wave, and an "I love you too!" Newcomers' reactions vary from awe to awful. One thing is for sure: he is noticed.
As I walked down to see him, he invited me onto his patch. "Me an' the Lord have been doing this for 30 years," he says, "tellin' people they are loved. If even one person has a better day because of it, I've done something for the Lord."
He is almost 78 years old. He goes to that patch every weekday, Monday to Friday, from six until ten a.m., just to tell people that they are loved, that God loves them, that someone cares. He has done so for 30 years. He isn't paid a cent. He does it because he feels it is what he was called to do.
It isn't something most of us could, or would do. However, if we're asked, what can we say that "me an' the Lord" have done today?
Prayer: Working with you is as easy as simply smiling at a passer-by, Lord, or offering a kind and thoughtful gesture, a gentle touch, a listening ear. Working with you can be as easy as plugging a quarter in an expired meter, dropping a dollar in a busker's basket. Working with you can help us to turn the other cheek, to hold our tongues when tempted by anger, to be more patient, more understanding. Working with you can help us find strength when we are weak. Working with you gladdens the heart of the giver as well as the receiver. For this we offer our prayer of thanks. Amen.
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