It was the hot topic at dinner. I heard it three different times, from Julie, Grace and Ean. Ean's version was the most intriguing. The three of them were headed to the pet store for some supplies when a lady came up to them and asked for money for gas. She lived in Concord (shows her driver license). She explained that she was not able to reach her husband with her cell phone (shows the cell phone), because he was on a job site. She was not able to use her Wells Fargo ATM card (shows the card) because her pay check had not cleared. Her car was at the gas station down the street and she needed some gas money. Julie offered to take her to the gas station and fill up her gas tank. The woman said ok, but insisted that they finish their shopping, then when they got done if she was not able to get money from someone else they would go.
It turns out shopping took awhile. When they got out Ean and Grace were concerned for the lady so they went to the gas station. When they got there they spoke with the attendant and he said that there was no car there and no one who had run out of gas unless they came in early this morning. Julie and the kids were baffled. They drove back to the pet store and saw the woman with a man headed down the hill toward the gas station. They pulled over and waited. They walked right past the gas station and headed to the front of a different store. He pointed to one store and she headed to that one while he went to the front of the other. It occurred to my family that they almost got conned. Ean was livid.
His sense of justice and fair play kicked in. He said that she was a bad lady. He said that she lied and tried to take our money. He was pretty angry. Julie listened. Then she said that it was time to pray for the lady and her husband. Ean argued, I don't want to pray for her, she tried to trick me. Julie said, yes it is true that the lady was behaving badly, but that she is still a child of God and that God loves her very much. Ean frowned, and was not convinced. Julie continued. We should pray that the woman would come to know the love of God and then she would not want to live by lying and tricking people.
When Ean got home to tell me the story, it was clear that he was not 100 percent convinced. But I could hear his heart had softened a little. Julie had taught him the Jesus way. It is not an easy way but it is the only way that we are going to get anywhere. Jesus teaches us if someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Jesus does not say: love those who are easy to love and give you warm fuzzies back, he does not say: love those who can love you back in such a way that fills your soul. He does not say love the loveable, the working, the mentally sound, the sober, the clean, the housed, the stable ones. Love your enemy Ean, even when she tries to take your money. A difficult lesson, even when you are six. By insisting that they pray for this woman, Julie helped prevent the creation of a cynic and replaced him with a child of God.
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