Second Glance

The ride back to the Abbey is always a long one, but interesting things always seem to happen.  Six of us crammed into this tiny car and left at 8 in the morning to make the long drive back.  We rotated drivers, and something happened when I was driving that I will never forget. It happened as I took an exit and had to wait at a light. The car filled with chatter because there was a homeless man sitting on the corner by the light, which just so happened to be right next to our car. From my time in New York, DC, and Richmond, I had always avoided interacting with the homeless or approached them with caution. Stranger danger right? It's not smart to just roll down your window and invite a stranger to approach your car - especially if you're a teenage girl. I set my eyes on the light, waiting for it to change as the others in the car read his sign aloud.
Basically, it said he was homeless, hungry, and wanted a job. As they said this, everyone in the car rustled through the bag of snacks we had. At that moment, I realized how cold it was to simply ignore such a man. I looked over at him again as they debated how to acknowledge him. I quietly chipped in telling them to roll down the window and start with "excuse me." After we offered the food we had, he graciously got up and accepted it. To be honest, I don't even remember what he said in response because I was realizing that I had almost let one of God's children go hungry.
While it is necessary to protect ourselves, we still have the opportunity and obligation to reach out to those around us who are in need. Today, I had that literally right outside my window, and if the others hadn't piped up, I would've passed him by. It's the little moments like this that remind me of all the small things God calls me to work on. We're always called to grow and learn from Him, it's just a matter of whether or not we listen. Time for me to focus on listening!