Seeing Amy

One of the hardest things I had to do this week was letting go of her cold pale hand. As I drove away all I could do was fight back the emotions and wonder, “Lord, did I do enough to help her? Did I do enough to show how much You love her?” 

To most of the travelers coming off the highway exit that day, she probably was just another face amongst so many who stand at that intersection. All are humbly begging for a few dollars or spare change. For me though, she was more than just another one, but rather the one I could reach a hand out to. With the bill in my hand and little time to spare before the light would turn green, I was determined to see her. 

So, I changed lanes and drove up as close as I could to get to her. As I rolled down the window she walked up to me and I handed her a twenty. I think she was initially surprised because of the shocked look in her eyes and the emotional way she replied “God bless you”. Overwhelmed by compassion and an ache in my heart for whatever circumstances brought her there on that corner, I reached out a hand and asked her for her name and told her I had planned to pray for her. 

Truthfully, anticipating the light to turn green, my plan was to pray for her when I got home. However, none of that mattered the moment I saw the expression on her face. Her look told me it had been far too long since someone cared to know her name. In choked emotions she grabbed my hand and said, “Amy”. Then she closed her eyes to receive my prayer and I knew what I had to do.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Seeing Amy changed both our lives and as I closed my eyes to pray, I no longer worried about the light or if cars would honk their horns. All that mattered was expressing my heart for her to my loving Heavenly Father. I asked Him to help her see how much He loved her and how my being there in that moment was proof. For I knew He sent me to her. I also prayed He would help and heal her wholly - mind, body, and soul. But most of all I asked Him to help her find hope and know her worth. 

My prayer did not bring down fire from heaven nor did it fix all of her problems. The money is nowhere close to what she needs to consistently stay warm and fed at night. While there is a part of me that wishes I had done more, like giving her a pair of gloves, I do know what I did give was all that I had at that moment. God took my few and multiplied it in ways I could never have fathomed. The best thing Amy received in that divinely appointed moment was to be seen, known and loved by the God of the universe.

I pray this will challenge you to join me in seeing the “Amys" all around you. When you do, you will experience an unexplainable joy as you witness what it means to have a little bit of hope and dignity restored. Too many people feel unseen, unloved and uncared for and we have the awesome responsibility to show God’s great love for them. The best way to do this is to love and care for one another (1 John 4:7-12).