The Bittersweet Paradox

At the risk of sounding naive and overly trusting, I will share this story...

I had quite an experience at lunch yesterday. I was sitting at Starbucks, reading my Bible when a random older man told me to have a blessed day. He went on to mention how that offends some people, but that he'd rather have someone tell him to have a blessed day than to curse at him. I smiled politely and nodded.

He continued to fix up his coffee, and as he was leaving, he asked me what I was reading. I showed him my Bible, and he got all excited. He started talking about the pocket-sized New Testament he just bought which was out in his truck. Turns out he was a truck driver passing through. He asked me how old I was. I told him, and he told me that I was the same age as his daughter when she died. He told me she had the same big blue eyes as he does.

He went out to his truck to get some things he wanted to show me. He came back with a couple of tracts, a devotional book and a huge Bible with parts of 26 translations. We looked up some of our favorite verses in the various interpretations. He told me about his church and his job. He offered to let me keep his pocket-sized New Testament. I told him I couldn't do that. He asked me again, more persistently this time if I had any need for it. I told him I usually had my Bible anyway.

As he was leaving, he asked if he could pray for me. I told him yes. He began to pray the boldest prayer. After a minute or two, I found myself getting teary. He continued to pray such encouraging words and I found myself crying at Starbucks with a stranger I met 10 minutes ago who was now praying for me one of the most bold prayers I had ever heard. I knew God was there.

As he was leaving, he told me we may never see each other again on this earth, but that someday we would meet again in Heaven. I can't wait.

Alex,
That is truely inspiring... I wish I had the courage in my faith that man had... I think I would have been bawling. He is one that seems to truely know what it is to be a servant... I have to share that story with everyone I know... that is amazing! "Have a blessed day!"... who would have thought?

I'm seriously praying for some of what that man has!

Wow Alex- That is awsome! Definately a God-ordained meeting. For an older man to get all excited about God- he has definately seen trials, but has also seen that God is faithful. What an encouragment. Now you can go and buy a New Testiment and give it to the person that God prompts you to! (I promise He will.)