The King's Love
Illustration
Stories
Jason shifted his shopping bags to the other hand. The groceries were heavy and with each step he took they seemed to get even heavier. He saw the big steps of First Church and knew that if he could just make it that far then he could sit down for a few moments. His arms were really hurting when he made it to the stairs and he dropped the bags and sat down on the steps. It was so nice to just sit for a few moments.
He looked down and saw the fresh banana he had bought at the top of his bag. Normally he didn’t have money for extras, but he saw it and realized it had been so long since he had anything that wasn’t frozen or canned that he bought it even though it took the rest of his money. He couldn’t wait to get home and put some sugar and milk on it just like his mother used to make when he was a boy. He looked down the street and realized he still had a long way left to go.
“Hi.”
Jason looked up and noticed an older woman sitting further up the stairs. He was so focused on getting to the stairs that he didn’t even see her sitting there. Of course, with her brown and tattered coat that blended into the stairs and her back in the shadow of the building it really wasn’t a surprise that he missed seeing her.
“Hi.”
“Have you been grocery shopping?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“I’ve never seen you walking here before.” The woman tilted her head to one side. “Are you new to the area?”
“No.” Jason shook his head. “I live a couple of blocks further down in the apartments. I usually take the bus, but I got tired of waiting for it.”
“Someone told me that there was an accident downtown that was snarling up traffic. It must be the reason the bus was late.” The woman looked down at his bags. “Looks like you have quite a load.”
“I do,” Jason said. “Enough to hopefully keep me until the end of the month when checks come in again.”
“I hear you.” The woman came down and sat on his stair. “The price of everything makes it hard to make ends meet some months.”
Jason nodded. “Things seem to cost more every time I go to the store.”
The woman’s stomach grumbled, and she patted her stomach. “Sorry about that. It’s been awhile since breakfast.”
Jason looked down at his bag to see what he could offer her. He had cans and some large packages of pasta and oatmeal. Then he saw his precious banana. He looked at it and heard her stomach rumble again. While she claimed that she had eaten breakfast, Jason was pretty sure she hadn’t had anything since yesterday.
“Would you like part of a banana?”
The woman shook her head. “I couldn’t take food from you.”
“I think I need something to give me energy to make it all the way home.” He took out the banana and broke it in half. “I hate to eat alone.”
She considered him for a moment and then reached over and took the banana. She carefully peeled it and took small bites. He ate his part and out of the corner of his eye couldn’t help but see how much she was enjoying the food. When she finished she wiped around her mouth and smiled at him.
“Thanks, that really hit the spot.”
Jason smiled back. “I’m glad.”
“Do you ever go to church?” The woman asked.
Jason looked back at the building behind them. “I’ve been here a few times.”
“Do you remember the parable of Jesus about the sheep and the goats? I remember a pastor when I was younger telling us that story is about how God cares about all of us and how when we care for other people we’re doing what God wants and helping God love the world.” The woman looked over at Jason. “I think you’re a good person and I hope God blesses you.”
“Thanks, but I didn’t do anything that special.”
“You spoke to an old lady and you shared some food with me. Do you know how long it has been since anyone spoke to me at a meal?” The woman got up and dusted off her coat. “I won’t forget you and I know that God won’t either.”
Jason sat on the steps and watched the woman disappear down the street. After she disappeared from view, he sat for a while longer thinking about what she said. Then he got to his feet and looked up at the big cross that was on the building. He was thinking about God for the first time in a long time as he picked up his bags and started to walk home.
He looked down and saw the fresh banana he had bought at the top of his bag. Normally he didn’t have money for extras, but he saw it and realized it had been so long since he had anything that wasn’t frozen or canned that he bought it even though it took the rest of his money. He couldn’t wait to get home and put some sugar and milk on it just like his mother used to make when he was a boy. He looked down the street and realized he still had a long way left to go.
“Hi.”
Jason looked up and noticed an older woman sitting further up the stairs. He was so focused on getting to the stairs that he didn’t even see her sitting there. Of course, with her brown and tattered coat that blended into the stairs and her back in the shadow of the building it really wasn’t a surprise that he missed seeing her.
“Hi.”
“Have you been grocery shopping?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“I’ve never seen you walking here before.” The woman tilted her head to one side. “Are you new to the area?”
“No.” Jason shook his head. “I live a couple of blocks further down in the apartments. I usually take the bus, but I got tired of waiting for it.”
“Someone told me that there was an accident downtown that was snarling up traffic. It must be the reason the bus was late.” The woman looked down at his bags. “Looks like you have quite a load.”
“I do,” Jason said. “Enough to hopefully keep me until the end of the month when checks come in again.”
“I hear you.” The woman came down and sat on his stair. “The price of everything makes it hard to make ends meet some months.”
Jason nodded. “Things seem to cost more every time I go to the store.”
The woman’s stomach grumbled, and she patted her stomach. “Sorry about that. It’s been awhile since breakfast.”
Jason looked down at his bag to see what he could offer her. He had cans and some large packages of pasta and oatmeal. Then he saw his precious banana. He looked at it and heard her stomach rumble again. While she claimed that she had eaten breakfast, Jason was pretty sure she hadn’t had anything since yesterday.
“Would you like part of a banana?”
The woman shook her head. “I couldn’t take food from you.”
“I think I need something to give me energy to make it all the way home.” He took out the banana and broke it in half. “I hate to eat alone.”
She considered him for a moment and then reached over and took the banana. She carefully peeled it and took small bites. He ate his part and out of the corner of his eye couldn’t help but see how much she was enjoying the food. When she finished she wiped around her mouth and smiled at him.
“Thanks, that really hit the spot.”
Jason smiled back. “I’m glad.”
“Do you ever go to church?” The woman asked.
Jason looked back at the building behind them. “I’ve been here a few times.”
“Do you remember the parable of Jesus about the sheep and the goats? I remember a pastor when I was younger telling us that story is about how God cares about all of us and how when we care for other people we’re doing what God wants and helping God love the world.” The woman looked over at Jason. “I think you’re a good person and I hope God blesses you.”
“Thanks, but I didn’t do anything that special.”
“You spoke to an old lady and you shared some food with me. Do you know how long it has been since anyone spoke to me at a meal?” The woman got up and dusted off her coat. “I won’t forget you and I know that God won’t either.”
Jason sat on the steps and watched the woman disappear down the street. After she disappeared from view, he sat for a while longer thinking about what she said. Then he got to his feet and looked up at the big cross that was on the building. He was thinking about God for the first time in a long time as he picked up his bags and started to walk home.
