Following a blowout that one of our daughters had on her way back to college a few years ago, we were parked at a gas station unloading Mary’s trunk to retrieve the spare tire. We were three hours from home and still three hours from our destination with Randy and me in our car and our two daughters in Mary’s car.
Mary’s trunk was filled with back to college items, which she and her sister Amy were helping their father stack on the pavement. I was preparing to help also when someone appeared out of nowhere as I stepped out of our car. A stranger with dirty, stringy, greasy hair and a wild look in his eyes that instantly made me uneasy asked if he could help, and I promptly replied that my husband was putting the spare tire on the car and we didn’t need any help. I was thinking to myself, I hope he accepts this answer and walks away. He basically gave me the creeps.
Just as I said we didn’t need any help, Randy told me he couldn’t get the last lug nut off, and he had tried with every wrench in his toolbox.
Aaron, or should I say, Crazy Aaron as the girls dubbed him, piped up, “I’m a mechanic. I can help you. There’s an auto parts store down the road, and I can take you there to get the right tool.” Randy agreed and jumped into a beat-up old pickup truck with Crazy Aaron and headed to the store.
They came back a little later and Crazy Aaron popped that last lug nut off with the new tool. Randy whispered to me, “He drives like a psychopath! I’m glad we’re back!” Aaron proceeded to put the spare tire on; he seemed eager to help.
Randy pulled me aside to softly tell me that Aaron had shared that he had recently lost his job. Randy told me he wanted to pay him generously for helping us. I had cash in my purse and Randy took out more than I would have guessed Aaron’s help was worth. But God had already convicted Randy to give him above and beyond what seemed the appropriate amount.
Aaron with the stringy, greasy, dirty hair and wild look had tears in his eyes and his voice trembled when he saw how much money Randy was giving him. He said to us, “You have no idea what you have done for me today! Thank you so much!”
I felt about an inch tall. My rush to judgment now had me swimming in shame. I apologized to him for brushing him off so quickly when he first arrived on the scene.
And what was he doing on the scene? He had run out of gas and was able to coast to the same gas station where we pulled into after the blowout. He had to call his dad and pleaded for money to put gas in his truck. His dad had just arrived and gave him twenty dollars and told him, “there wasn’t going to be any more where that came from.”
Then, Aaron turned around and saw us and came over to help.
I still think about that day and wonder, did God send Aaron to help us, or us to help Aaron? The answer is both. God crossed our paths to help each other and to meet our needs – and He also taught me not to make quick assumptions about people.
You know, when Aaron smiled, he didn’t look so scary anymore. He left us with a smile that day as he drove off in his pickup truck, driving a little reckless if you ask me.
We all smiled too, as he drove away, absorbing the events that had transpired that hot August afternoon. God had been very good to all of us, even Crazy Aaron.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
If I am not the only one who has ever made a rush to judgment about a person, will you share your story and tell us how/what God taught you through that experience? Maybe we can learn from each other…
By Kathy at In Quiet Places
Hi Kathy, I loved this story. Living in an inner city area I’m sure I’m very often quick to make judgments about people without knowing their heart or their story. Ugh. Convicting. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I will admit I was not eager to write about how I was too quick to judge someone, but it was my failing to own up to and I know I need to always live with a teachable heart.
Hi Kathy. I can so relate to your situation. I’m often convicted about rushing to judgment. I think your story today will challenge many people, including myself, to rethink these types of situations. Wonderful post, friend!
It definitely impacted me and grew me in my walk with the Lord!
i have many stories to share….just let me stop sobbing!!!
your story was glorious….and condemning….to that part of me that still sneaks out a judgement or two, in spite of my outspoken feeling that i judge no one because i have no idea what God has allowed them to walk through! i have not yet attained perfection. i strive for it daily…and i fail daily! but because God is merciful, and gracious, and non-condemning, and not judgemental, i give it all back to him…on a platter, and ask, if it be His will, that i can try again tomorrow.
i have been judged for loving the unlovely, the scary, the “aarons” of this world…and for placing my young children in situations that were “unsafe” because of unsavory characters…..
my adult children have gone out into the world…into slums, and ghettos…to teach, and to help, and to bless….because they had an opportunity, at such a young age, to be the light of Jesus for those unsafe, unsavory characters…..
i am an unsafe, unsavory, evil character when left to my own devices….i need Jesus….every moment of every day, or i fall back into being one of “them”…..
oh, how i love the “thems” of this world…because they are ME!!!!
thank you for sharing that story. and may we all go about our Father’s business…in honesty, truth and love!!!
God’s blessings
God has definitely set the bar high in that He does not condemn us and we shouldn’t condemn others.
Thanks for sharing, and I hope you stopped sobbing!:)
Kathy,
A few years ago, I had volunteered to take on an organizational role as municipal liaison for the local NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month) challenge. It was stressing me out a bit because I’m not a particularly organized person, but it was important to me that there be a local group to interact with… so I stepped up. Stepping out of my comfort zone is probably why I got so defensive when someone on the forums started spontaneously organizing events. What was she doing? *I* was in charge here, and was doing just fine, thank you. Her efforts to contribute really felt like an intrusion on my territory…. until I met her.
One of the strange things about NaNoWriMo is that you join an online community that meets in person for only one month out of the year… so during that month you find yourself approaching a lot of strangers in coffee shops.. looking for the people you don’t quite know yet. She and I sat and talked for about an hour before I realized…. it was HER! But it was too late by then… we got along great. Long story short, her first child was born on Saturday and we are now the proud God-parents of little Hamilton! Funny how God adds to our family, whether we’re looking for it or not.
Thanks for your story… it took a lot of courage on your husband’s part to give “Crazy Aaron” a chance. There’s too much irrational fear of the mentally ill in this country. Mental Illness is one of the remaining taboo subjects, creating an entire population that is shunned because we don’t take the time to try to understand. Please take a look at my latest post “Tracking Them” at http://thewordspoken.org if you have time. There is sooo much work to be done.
Thanks!
Heidi
thewordspoken.org
I agree we all have alot to learn, thanks for sharing.
Who’s Aaron.
In that moment of need, God sent the one that needed to get the job done. And done well. Not some half baked job. A good job.
God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance. But the inward man. HE fulfils that need when we cry out to HIM. HE fills in the gaping gap. And closes the wound. With HIS LOVE.
The bottom line.
God LOVES us so much, HE does not want us to suffer in any way. HE provides.
So, HE sent Aaron.
Yes, on that hot August day when we needed help, He sent Aaron.
I fail in this so often. My friend Karen and I used to lead a small church in London U.K. One gentleman who came had lived a tragic life marked by abuse as a child, a road accident that left him brain damaged and with mobility problems, the death of his daughter for which he was blamed, a divorce and eventually alchoholism which would claim his life.
We had not known Hugh for long, he had started coming to the little church we ran in our home. One evening Karen and I went out for a stroll and we met Hugh. I decided that I would walk on ahead as if I hadn’t seen him. My gracious friend slowed down and walked with him while I stormed on ahead, I judged him not worthy of me or my time. How wrong, how pharasaic. When I look back I wish things had been different.
Thank you for the chance to write this public confession.
Thank you God that you offer forgiveness and cleansing from shame.
That is a very convicting story that reminds us we truly don’t know what is going on in someone’s life that might explain their “rough edges.” We all have a next time to do better as we cross paths with people.
I, too am guilt as charged. Thank You Father for the redeeming Blood of Jesus!
This is beautifully written and a great lesson that I pray for the Holy Spirit to bring to my remembrance the next time I deem someone unworthy of my attention, compassion or even a brief smile and a look in the eyes.
Thank you
Compassion and a smile – both go a long way!
Thank you all of you that commented for sharing your thoughts and your stories and letting us learn from each other more of what God would have us do in these situations.
What a great story!