Your Someone's Angel

Just recently I was chatting with my mother over the phone when the conversation turned to a young lady who was staying across the street from her and my dad. Now my parent live in a peaceful suburbia neighborhood in which this young lady with three kids was renting a room from her aunt – who was known for taking in estranged family members. This young lady had lost her mother at a young age, and according to her, she really didn’t have a close relationship with her father. As a matter of fact their relationship was so strained he was threatening to have her kids taken away from her—claiming that she was not fit to be a mother. That’s where my mother enters the picture; even though she would have rather stayed out of it--God had other plans.

I would say a new chapter begins in this teenager’s life with her walking up and down the side walk cursing on her cell phone. This didn’t go on for a minute or two, try three to four hours. Neighbors who were trying to enjoy a nice day, quickly found themselves returning to the comfort and sound proof protection of their home. My mom was one of those neighbors who peaked out her door several times only to find a distraught and troubled young lady still walking up and down the sidewalk cursing up a storm. Annoyed and perturbed my mother considered calling the police to put a stop to the nuisance. She thought, if only the cops would drive by and hear the foul words coming from this young lady’s mouth; surely they would have cause to arrest her for disturbing the peace. While reaching for the phone, the Holy Spirit spoke to my mother’s spirit: “Go pray with and for her.” Realizing that prayer may be a better solution than calling the police my mother was obedient to the Holy Spirit and went out to talk to the young lady. When my mother reached her, she asked her if she could pray with and for her, the young lady’s response was “sure.”

My mother prayed with and for her, and then sat down and talked with her—quickly realizing that calling the police on her would have just compounded her problems. Her car had been repossessed leaving her with no transportation to work; her father had taken her kids and kicked her out of his house; she was low on funds with no money to pay anyone to take her anyplace; and last but not least her father was preparing to have her children taken away because, in his eyes, she was an unsuitable mother. Simply put, she was at her wits end and just did not know what she was going to do. As God would have it, my parents had just purchased another car and were contemplating on what they were going to do with one of their older cars.

My mother talked with my father and they agreed they would give her a car. In the process this young lady was able to keep her job, find her own place, and continue to provide for her kids (enough that it met her father’s expectations). In addition, she was introduced to God. I tell you this story, because if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes we want to peek out the door to make sure the coast is clear so we only have to worry about our own problems, and not the problems of others. With the economy as bad as it is, so many people are hurt, frustrated, and in desperate need of the basic necessities of life. And where there is a need, there is most likely a heart that is open to receive your prayers and quite possibly a relationship with Jesus.

God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, so as we go about our daily lives we should look for opportunities to: “Lift up (encourage and support); build up (provide the resources for growth); hold up (endure with another); help up (serve those in need); and pick up (lend a helping hand).”

Reference: “Balancing Blessings and Obtaining Order” by Sandra Miller.