“Jesus Loves You.” the woman said as she smiled so sweetly. A common phrase I’ve heard. My daughter sings it, I hear it in church, I’ve learned it in Sunday School, I even read it in my daughter’s Bedtime Bible stories. But it’s been long lost and forgotten in my adult years…
This woman couldn’t really speak English. The first time she said it I looked at her and said, “Excuse me?” She repeated the phrase. I still didn’t hear her right. I studied her face trying to understand what she was trying to tell me. (I love people…especially from other countries… and if they need to communicate I want to do everything I can to help them and communicate with them.) So she said it again, still not clear, but I got it. I said, “Oh! Jesus loves me?!?!” She smiled and nodded her head. My heart melted. “Oh thank you! Thank you so much! Yes…”
She was so sweet. I wanted to hug her… Jesus would have… but instead, I just slowly walked on… I was absorbing her simple words, expression and action…
I walk over to the next aisle then I hear it again. She said the same thing to a man who was in that aisle. He also replied, “Excuse me?” She repeated, “Jesus Loves You.” He said, “Oh! Oh…Yes… Thank you very much! I needed to hear that.” She didn’t understand and said, “What?”. He said, “I’m a Christian. I really needed to hear that today. Thank you.” I spoke loudly from my aisle, “I did too!!” He laughed and said, “Really?” I said, “Yeah… I needed to hear that too.” He laughed and said, “Wow… God is good. Praise the Lord.” And there… that woman made our day.
A million things were rushing around in my head…lots to do, places to go, people to meet… I was so busy. I even thought to myself, “I need to spend time with the Lord… I gotta stop everything I’m doing and just spend time with Him…” But sometimes those words stay words…
Hearing that woman speak that simple phrase to me made me linger in that time and moment, and hearing her speak them to that man- I just stopped in the aisle and listened. This woman, who was not from around here, was either an angel at that time and moment for this man and I or she was a simple missionary, sharing the only English words she knew… and I saw Jesus in her.
Yes, I saw Jesus in this woman… in her smile… I heard His words in her voice. I saw His love in her eyes as she looked into mine and shared those three simple words.
I spent those few moments with the Lord… in a Dollar Tree of all places… Haha…
Sometimes we think we can only spend time with God in a little quiet area in the corner of our house, but I think we spend more time with Him when we’re out among the people- seeing with His eyes, sharing His words, sharing His love, and simply listening…
I walked by the aisle and saw that it was the man who was working there stocking up the shelves to whom this woman was speaking… He didn’t realize I was the one who joined in the conversation…
When I was leaving the store, I saw him walking toward the exit, looking all around for this foreign woman… I wanted to say something to him, but I knew that what this woman shared was what was needed… I think this is something he will think on throughout the day…
Jesus…there’s something about Him. People can laugh at the name, can even laugh at the phrase “Jesus Loves You”… but to those who believe in Him and know Him- there’s a connection to Him… and to one another… Sometimes there aren’t words to share among those who believe and love Him… there’s simply an understanding and care… and a comfort in knowing that we’re not alone in this world…
And to those who are seeking for something true, something to fill that void in their lives, say “Jesus Loves You”. That’s exactly what they need to point them in the right direction… So share that with someone today.
Nichole – Merrimack NH – Feb 2016
