Heidi Viars

My hands were freezing as I pushed my groceries across the Walmart parking lot. I noticed a woman standing by the cart-return, where I was parked. She wore the blue store uniform and was obviously cold. While loading my bags in the trunk, I was getting curious and looked around, trying to figure out what was keeping her in this miserably freezing weather without a coat.

“Are you OK?”, I asked.

She looked at me and said, “Yeah, just cold.”

I realized she was watching the car next to us. A man in his eighties, maybe nineties, was occupying the passenger seat. His eyes were sad and his head nervously moving back and forth.

“I saw him wandering in the parking lot. He was lost and I helped him get back in his car. I think he has dementia. I am just waiting for someone to return for him.” the woman said.

The cold metal of my cart clanked as it slid into the other carts in the stall. My thoughts were suddenly jostled. Before getting my groceries, I had prayed for God to give me a meaningful encounter, show me someone I could encourage or share Jesus with. I had not expected for someone to inspire me.

“Thank you for getting cold to keep a stranger warm!” I said as tears started to blur my vision.

I often complain about the cooling, spiritual temperatures in our culture. I fear and fret. I wonder how we can turn it around. I pray for revival, for God to move in mighty ways, but rarely am I willing to get uncomfortable.

“God, please help me to be more like this woman.
Make me more willing to become uncomfortable
for others’ sake – and ultimately for You.
I know You won’t think less of me if I don’t.
But God,
maybe others think more of You if I do
… and that would be very good!”
~

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him? 
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
and one of you says to them,
“Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,”
but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body,
what does it profit? 
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 2:14-26