Jesus at Starbucks?

I had to bring my car to have the emissions tested today. I wasn't wild about the idea of going out because the temperature was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit with an extremely high humidity level today. It's been that way for a few days now - unrelenting - HOT and HUMID - with no relief in sight for at least a few more days. The weather man advised those who are "sensitive" to be careful since the air quality is very poor. But, I had to go out and pick up my daughter anyway, so I figured I'd get the car done too.

Upon arriving at the auto shop, the woman told me that there would be at least a 45 minute wait, maybe more - there were three cars ahead of us. Darn. My heart had started racing when I got into my car a little earlier so I knew the weather was not so good for me today (I have a heart condition). The AC isn't working well in my car either. The weather was just so oppressive and the waiting room there didn't seem very cool - at least not enough for me.

"We'll leave the car here," I told the woman," and we'll be back in a while. We'll just go out for something cold to drink. See you soon!"

So, where to go? Since my husband had met me there in his vehicle, we knew we could escape that car place for a bit. I also knew I had to get into a cooler area as quickly as possible, in hopes it would settle my heart racing. Starbucks was the closest place. It's funny, I had been to the drive-up window a few times for my older kids when they requested me to stop if we were out and about, but I had never been inside! Imagine that? It would seem I don't get out much (I'm usually so busy on the computer at work on my books or out at speaking events - not much time to sip a latte, at least not out of my office anyway!).

My daughter, hubby, and I went inside and ordered 3 iced green tea-lemon aids to refresh ourselves and sat together to chat as we killed some time while the car was in line to be checked out.

After a while, I saw a man waving to me from across Starbucks. I squinted a bit to see who it was and if he was indeed waving to me. Yes he was! What a sweet man, I thought, he remembered me. My heart soared to see him again! My husband and daughter wondered who he was, so I explained that I didn't really know his name but we knew one another. They wanted to know where we knew one another from. I told them that we sat near each other at a funeral reception a few years ago.

My husband then made a funny comment about how men are always waving to me. :) I responded that this man was special, he was very sweet! I then explained that since meeting at the funeral, we then bumped into one another at a hospital a year or so later and as he was about to walk by me, he remembered me, his eyes lit up and he came over to speak with me.

The three of us sipped our icy cold beverages and chatted some more about this and that until it was about time for us to leave. I was hoping that perhaps the timing would be right and I'd be able to "bump" into this friend again so that perhaps my daughter and husband would have the pleasure of meeting such a special person.

So, as we got up from our table and headed for the door, I turned my head and looked in the man's direction. Indeed it was the right timing! God's timing is always perfect! He was looking towards us - he smiled so broadly and waved again excitedly! He called out a few comments to us from across the room. I nodded, smiled and told him to be sure to "stay cool!" He nodded and smiled with such exuberance again, radiating love and joy. Others nearby seemed to look on with interest.

Heading towards the door I turned to my daughter and whispered "He's Jesus! Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor as Mother Teresa always said."

After leaving the doors of Starbucks and hitting the brick wall of heat as we headed to our vehicle, I explained to my husband and daughter that the reason I didn't know that man's name is because I couldn't understand him when he spoke to me. We had sat near each other at the funeral reception for about an hour a few years ago and I never actually understood what he was saying to me.

You see, his voice was extremely garbled as he tried to talk to me. This man was handicapped and didn't actually have a recognizable voice. At that time, I smiled at him and talked back to him, trying to respond properly to what he said to me. Somehow, it surprised me, but I knew what he was saying some of the time. At other times during our conversation, I strained with all my being trying to decipher what he was saying. I desperately wanted to know what he was telling me. I didn't want to be rude or do anything to cause him to feel inferior or inadaquate. For a few moments there I wished I had an interpreter. Yet, I really didn't need one, the message was so clear.

When I spoke with him at the hospital later on when we saw one another again, I didn't know what he said to me at that time either. But I talked with him and smiled. I knew without a doubt that he was Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor.

Today, I saw Jesus again. This time it was in Starbucks. He radiated love, joy, and peace in his simplicity - Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor!

Are we looking for Him? He's with us in so many ways and comes to meet us in our daily lives. Will we respond to Him in love in all we meet?