Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1
Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1
A girl just needs a little retail therapy every once in awhile, right? Who says you have to buy anything? Just make a few Christmas gift returns and have fun browsing at all the cute stuff you know you don't need. I don't know about you but just looking, smelling that "Kirkland store" scent that draws you in off the sidewalk, and turning over the items to see the costs...well it's good for the soul! Especially if that little tag is red with a big fat discount!
A few years ago, I found myself enjoying the much needed sunshine after weeks of freezing cold weather and enjoying the therapy of getting out of the house. It felt good to have a day I didn't feel rushed and more sensitive to those around me that may need someone to tell them they have pretty hair, cute shoes, and very unique fingernails. That's a part of the therapy...encouraging others! I honestly don't go out the door thinking, "I'm going to change the world by shopping today!" But I do ask the Holy Spirit to fill me to the fullest and help me be His hands and feet. When I do, ‘God Things’ happen! This happened to be one of those days.
As I was leaving the store I looked to my left and saw a young man that was in his mid-twenties sitting against the wall on the sidewalk. I could tell from his short arms, fingers and legs he was a little person. He had a portfolio of penciled pictures he had drawn and was trying to sell. I'll be honest, my first thought was, "I think I'll go around this pillar in front of him so he won't see me because I really don't think I need to buy a penciled picture." Just as I thought that the Lord said, "just go be his friend". Before I knew it I was knelt down next to him looking at his pictures. He was so eager to show me his art and ask if I could buy something or give him a donation. He really was such an amazing and talented young man and his pictures were his pride and joy.
Before I knew it, I was sitting on the warm concrete next to him thumbing through pages of his unique art designs. People stepped over and around us and we did get several strange looks. But I didn't really care. I loved sitting there getting to know my new friend, whose name was Cornelius, and hearing how he got to Texas from Chicago, that he was a You Tube star and had been on the Jerry Springer show.
As I turned each page and admired each picture he had drawn I made the comment that many had a very dark theme to them. I asked if he had anything that was about God, Jesus, or a cross. He began to tell me how he had just sold the one of praying hands and the bible and that he was surprised how many people ask for very dark demonic things. He shared that what he had wasn't dark enough for people and that they ask for something even more, in his words, "wicked". He was trying to meet the customer "demand" so that he could make more sales. It didn't seem to be happening. I could tell he was discouraged.
I said, "Cornelius, God has given you an amazing gift! I promise that if you use your gift that He's given you for His glory then He will provide all you need. To draw more pictures of light, joy, and hope.” I proceeded to ask him if anyone had ever shared with him what it meant to be a Christian and have everlasting life in heaven with God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. By this time, we are shoulder to shoulder and our heads are turned looking at each other face to face. I'm sure he was thinking, "Who is this white lady!? She just done plopped herself down and got into my business!" But instead he blinked a few times and shook his head no. I looked straight into those dark green eyes and said, "Can I tell you?" He smiled and shook his head yes.
I removed from my wrist a colorful Time to Revive bracelet that had verses on it that would lead him through the verses in the bible about salvation. He quickly held out his hand for me to put the bracelet on. I fumbled through my purse to look for my bible but didn't have it. I thought, "Well, I better know these verses by heart now! Lord help me remember!" When I told Cornelius I didn't have my bible he said with a happy reply, "I do! Someone gave it to me!" He pulls out the tiniest new testament bible I've ever seen in my life! By now I'm thinking, "Lord, I know I'm not that old but I'm old enough that I struggle with remembering all the words in bible verses! Also, it's going to hurt trying to get up off this sidewalk and now I have to read the smallest print in the world! I need a miracle Lord!"
So picture this sight...a middle aged white lady, sitting on the sidewalk with her bags around her, next to a young African American midget, both squinting and trying to read the scriptures while people's heads are turning and them attempting to find the best route to walk around or step over them!
We read and talked about each verse until I came to the point of asking Cornelius if he would like to pray and ask Jesus to come into his life. We had just read Romans 10:9 “..that If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
I asked him to pray whatever was on his heart from what we had just read. As I bowed my head I glanced over to see him looking up to heaven just talking away! It truly was the sweetest prayer! He stopped after a few minutes and said, "I ran out of stuff to say Miss." I laughed and took his hand and assured him it was a beautiful prayer and asked if he wanted to repeat after me a prayer of confession and trusting Jesus as his savior. He did...with all his heart. Then we prayed that God would use his art for God's glory. After our prayer he said, "You know Miss, my Christian aunt just told me the other day, "Cornelius, you are going to start using your art for God! I had a dream that you would!" Then with heartfelt confidence I said, "Cornelius, God wanted me to stop and be your friend today. He wants you to know He loves you and I believe your aunt is right. I believe it was a "God Thing" I'm sitting here today to tell you what she said is true.’
With that being said, I decided my time was up and the painful ascent in trying to get up off that sidewalk, without making a scene, was my next action. Of course, with very little effort, he quickly hopped up on his strong short legs and extended his hand with a smile and said, "I'll help you up!" Ummmm....that part about not making a scene....well, I was visualizing me pulling him down on top of me and that was NOT going to be a pretty sight. So I passed on his kind gesture and prayed for another miracle...I made it up just fine.
There are so many lessons God taught me from my retail therapy outing. Yes, don't buy everything that's on sale, take time to slow down and encourage others, and be kind to people on sidewalks. But I've walked away thinking about how God gives each of us such beautiful gifts and talents. The enemy wants to steal those gifts from us by making us think we have to use them a certain way....a way that God never intended us to. God created in all of us a God shaped vacuum that can only be filled by Him. Cornelius was living a life empty and void of God his creator. He knew he was a talented artist but was scraping by to use it the way the world wanting him to. When we come to truly know the Creator and His love for us, our life takes on a new meaning. We need to take inventory of all the amazing gifts He's given us and ask Him to show us how to give it back to Him. Life paints a whole new picture after that! One full of color!
So, my dear friend, I wish I could come where you are, sit next to you in that chair, on that couch, or even on the sidewalk and share with you the greatest story ever told. To encourage you to take the hand of the One that created YOU and all your gifts and talents and let Him use you for the purposes He's created you for. There's no better therapy!
"Father, Creator of Heaven and earth, lover of our souls. Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for sending people into our lives to remind us of who WE are and who YOU are. Help us to live our lives with purpose to bring honor to Your name until You return! Amen!"
#sidewalkprophet? #iluvRetailTherapy #OurTalents #HisGlory
