I’m in London for the summer, completing a six-week internship before I graduate from college this fall. One of the main things I’ve been focusing on here in England is practicing how to hear from God.
I’m a fantastic talker, but listening? Not so much. Being alone in a city where I don’t know people has helped shut me up, so every single day I’ve asked God to speak to me. Most days, He has, and it’s been amazing.
Yesterday, I stepped off the underground tube with my earbuds firmly placed in my ears. I was listening to a podcast about the injustice surrounding eating and drinking and how often we take food and water for granted when there are millions of people around the world who rarely get to eat.
I nodded my head in agreement as I listened, thinking of the kids I’d seen in Rwanda and Uganda, their malnourished bellies rotund and aching. As I passed by the grocery store, completely wrapped up in my podcast, I saw a woman. She was older, maybe in her mid-sixties, sitting on the edge of the road. She had a cardboard sign in front of her, and scrawled in black letters it read, I’m hungry.
I continued walking but abruptly stopped when it hit me — God was giving me an opportunity to feed someone who was hungry, someone who was sitting right in front of me. I didn’t have to go to Africa to hear from God. I could hear from Him right in that moment, as if He was kindly saying to me, “Give her something to eat.”
It felt simple enough. Even with my unpaid internship, I knew I could afford to buy her a sandwich. I went up to the woman and asked, “Can I get you a sandwich?”
She looked up at me. Her skin was dirty, and she said something in another language. She didn’t speak English.
“A sandwich?” I asked again. “Or a salad? Or some fruit?” I gestured to the grocery store we stood in front of. “I can run inside and get you something to eat.”
She reached her hand out to me, so I took it and pulled her up. Her smile was warm. She followed me into the grocery store and stopped in front of the dairy section. She pulled out a brick of cheese and looked at me as if asking for permission.
“Of course!” I said. “Take whatever you need.”
She picked some more groceries: water, different types of deli meat, a comb, some headache medication.
I could feel people watching us as we stood in line to pay. She kept kissing my hand, saying thank you. She seemed to be telling me about her children, but I couldn’t understand all of what she was trying to say. I turned to meet people’s eyes, but they quickly looked away.
I took her hand in mine, and we walked to the self-checkout. As we rang the items through, I watched the total tally up. Can I afford this? I wondered. I thought I’d be buying her a five-dollar sandwich, not forty dollars worth of groceries. I immediately felt guilty for having that thought.
How often did I ask God to speak to me, only to ignore Him when the time came? It could feel too hard, too sacrificial, too worrisome in case God might ask too much. I wanted Him to speak to me, but when He did, did I really want to listen? Or did I only want to remain in the areas where I felt most comfortable?
We paid and walked back outside to where her sign was still laying.
“Thank you!” she cried again. I squeezed her hand before I left her, and as I walked home, I shook my head at my own selfishness.
I’m too caught up in my own pride, I told Jesus as I walked, I didn’t even consider what it might be like to walk a day in her shoes. I only cared about how it affected me.
I had entered the store with the woman thinking I was so great for buying her a sandwich, but I left thanking God for giving me the opportunity to tangibly love someone that day. He is teaching me how to listen, and I am learning that I don’t need to wait and see God in Africa, or in three months, or in ten years. I can see Him right now, right where I’m at.
I love it when God bursts our bubbles and deflates our imaginative mental images of ourselves as heroic rescuers, swooping in with our capes and our amazing sandwiches. Thank you, Aliza, for demonstrating that sometimes making a difference in the life of another takes real sacrifice that bites us somewhere tender and protected.
And I’m just incredulous that, as a student, you took the risk. May God continue to provide for you, and may He open my own eyes to the need around me as He is doing for you.
I love it (and dislike it!) all at the same time. But he is so good and kind to pop the bubble anyway. Thanks for your encouragement, as always, Michele.
Aliza,
I love how God shares His Word and His heart with us and then….ba boom….here comes the test if we were really listening. It’s happened to me many times where I’ve read something on mercy, or forgiveness, or loving others as I love myself and the next minute I find myself vying for a parking spot or holding a grudge. Good for you for listening and then going to be the hands and feet of Jesus to someone God put right under your nose. Well done good and faithful servant. Thank you, as well, for the reminder to look for ways I can apply what I’ve read in the morning to what I can DO throughout the day. Let us be doers as well as hearers of His Word. Great post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Thanks so much, Bev. It’s easy to read something, but I struggle with putting it into practice.
Amen
I’m sharing this with my daughter, who spent a similar semester in London. We all have these kinds of opportunities to serve, but it’s not easy putting our pride aside. Thanks for sharing and for giving.
I hope it encourages her too, Sarah!
Aliza, thank you for sharing your experience. It is wonderful what you did and at the same time demonstrate your authenticity with your doubts you experienced wondering if you could afford it or not. Good on you for listening, I hope I continue to hear God and don’t miss any opportunities He puts in front of me to be his hands and feet here on earth! You are so right that God is with us right here, right now wherever we are, I pray I will hear him clearly!! Blessings to you.
Jas
In my experience in the recent weeks, when I’ve asked to hear from him — and then, when I’ve truly listened — he’s spoken in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Praying that’s true for you too, Jas.
This was a beautiful vision to me of being Jesus’ hands and feet here on Earth! And having just finished leading a group of ladies in the We Saved You a Seat study over the summer I had visions of your adorable, animated self trying to communicate with this sweet lady. It gave me a little giggle! God made a way though didn’t he? You are such an inspiration!
I hope you enjoyed WSYAS. That’s so wonderful you and your friends did it this summer!
I echo the words of Bev and Michele. The Lord will give us these simple lessons and texts and we (I) tend to look for something more complex. Can it really be that simple. I’m convicted and grieved for a recent situation where I was more bothered by the interruption of our lunch conversation and a hardened heart towards a lady that came up to us in a restaurant but didn’t speak to us only showed us a card – my heart was influenced and hardened by the skepticism that I didn’t want to fall prey to a scam – but what does it matter? It doesn’t….thank you for this beautiful example and reminder. I’m going to pray about being more soft hearted and generous next time. Bless you.
Rebecca, I often try to determine people’s motivations first before deciding if I should help them or not. I need the reminder that it’s not up to me to try and decipher their intention, instead it’s only up to me to choose to love them. Thanks for your encouragement today.
The holy spirit prompts us and nudges us in serving God in His purpose, when we live daily as being watchful, sober minded and focused in the ways of Him, we abide. Didn’t Jesus say, when you do unto the least of these, you have done it unto Me? In our provision we can often neglect the hurting, the needs of others, thank you for this absolute reminder to be a doer for His Glory. It’s never too late to seize the moment. Let’s all do the work of making Jesus known by His Nature of loving others.
Thanks Lynn!
Aliza,
What a lovely message you have shared.Thank-you for being a gift to that lady by opening your heart after listening…. You’re right. some things that are needed to be done may appear far away, but if we listen carefully we may find that they are near.
Have a blessed day all,
Penny
I think so too. Thanks Penny.
Wow! I’m not sure that I would have your courage Aliza.
I find this blog so incredibly beautiful.
More often than not, God speaks but we quickly dismiss his gentle urging as a ridiculous idea. How could we ever do what he’s asking? The “cost” seems too much, but the value is immeasurable.
You are a child of God
Safe travels friend!
Aliza
Thanks you for listening to God. So often we ask to hear God speak to us. Like you said when He does speak we often don’t listen. people think they have to go to far away places to be a missionary or do any good. He only said to go into all the world & make disciples. It could be as simple as making food for a neighbor who lost her son & spending a few minutes with her. Other ideas could be making deserts for a “Feed the Multitude” to help feed poor, calling, texting or sending a card to people to show you care. It doesn’t take much just a love for God & His people. God wants His love shown to the world. Let’s all go out & spread His love as best we can.
Blessings 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad to hear that this happens to other people as well. lol God must get a chuckle out of us though. He knows we will do it anyway. No matter the cost.
We don’t know what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Aliza, This is a beautiful illustration of allowing God to prompt you to set aside your agenda, which included your financial resources. I was touched and challenged by your blog. We can become so inward in our thinking and actions, sometimes based on fear and insecurity. You gave a “drink of water, in His Name.” Thank you also for being willing to share your heart. May God continue to bless you as you journey the good path with your hand in His.
A wonderful message. How often do I ask God to give me a way to show His love and then, I miss the opportunity? God provides ways for us to show His love. We need to open our ears, eyes and hearts for the messages He is providing for us.
This is exactly what I needed to hear today! Such a beautifully written article. Thank you!
While traveling home from visiting my dad God prompted me to bless someone at the gas station. She kept telling me that they were fine. The tears in her eyes and the hug that she gave me told me differently. I feel like I have so many missed moments.I am really seeking God in this area and trying to be more open to His voice.
Thankyou!!!!!!
Thank you! What a wonderful reminder that we need to open our hearts, our eyes and ears and listen to Him! He will show us and lead us to those who need Him and we just need to be willing vessels and be ready to allow that the love flow through us! Allow the living waters to flow. Thank you for this wonderful and beautiful reminder! Bless you! It could not have come at a better time!
Thank you so much for sharing. I thought of a movie where the lead actress went to India, Italy, etc to do the same (you know the movie)… my thoughts were similar to yours. So good of you to hear God in that moment and be a sweet aroma of Christ to that unfortunate woman. God does give us opportunities every day, esp when we ask Him and “listen”. That is for sure. May God bless you today, and in your studies, too, my sister in Jesus Christ. Love, Lori