Eaves Dropping

Yesterday at the Clothes Closet I walked after teaching that morning. Another volunteer was taking care of the Closet and as I walked in I heard a conversation between her and a shopper. They were talking about how the shopper had asked Jesus into her heart after a life of drinking, drugs and some jail time. She was sharing about her husband, too and how he had asked Jesus into his heart first and how they had relied on the Lord for meeting their needs with finances and a job. She talked about allowing God to be in complete control and trusting Him to make a difference when things seemed hopeless.

I remained silent because they were really sharing and the volunteer was encouraging her to stay the course and to continue in her walk with the Lord. You could hear them throughout the store as they talked and I didn’t want to interrupt.

While I stood there listening I noticed another shopper on the other side of the store. I realized that this lady was someone I knew. I knew her son and I knew that her story was VERY similar to the woman’s who was sharing. She, too, had been in jail. There was a history of drinking and drugs… the only difference? This woman has not yet fully trusted Jesus to be her LORD. If you ask her she will tell you that she is “saved.” I can not judge someone else’s heart, but I do know that she is not FULLY allowing Him to take care of her and her child. She is still trying to "fix things” and there’s not a lot of trust.

As I continued to stand there the Lord whispered to me, “I ordained this.”

It became very apparent to me that these two ladies were in the store at the same time so that the one lady (who HAS made Jesus Lord) could share her story and the other lady could hear it.

See, I can tell her ALLLLL day long about God providing for me, but I have not been where she’s been. I have not had drugs and alcohol and abuse in my past. I have not lived in a shelter and been afraid of what my future holds for me and my child.  But THIS lady? Oh well, her story is the same, and by her sharing about His amazing provision and love for her since coming out of that life style…. well, now THAT was speaking volumes.

Once the lady (that was listening) left I told the one that was talking that God had just used her in the life of someone else and she NEVER knew it was happening. I explained a little of the story and she just stood there with tears streaming down her face.

We have to be so careful, don’t we!? We never know who is listening and we never know what kind of impact our words can have on the life of another. We never know who is eaves dropping!!