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Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but thenshe looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:
Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon andI'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on thetable. 'Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer.'
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. 'Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer.I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.' She reached for her purse and counted out its contents.Five dollars and forty cents.Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.'
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, anda carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to lasther until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meagerofferings tucked under her arm.
'Hey lady, can you help us,lady?' Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, shehadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more
thanrags.'Look lady, I ain't got a job, you know, and mywife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it'sgetting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady,we'dreally appreciate it.'
Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she wascertain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. 'Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poorwoman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm havingan importantguest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.' 'Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.' The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed backinto the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. 'Sir, wait!'
The couple stopped and turned as she
ran down the alley after them. 'Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something elseto serve my guest.' She handed the man her grocery bag. 'Thank you lady. Thank you very much!''Yes, thank you!' It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see nowthat she wasshivering 'You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you takethisone.' Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coatand with nothing to serve her guest.'Thank you lady! Thank you very much!'
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticedanother envelope in her mailbox.
'That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in oneday.'
Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thankyou, too,for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed. |
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