Valerie

On Thursday March 11th, I heard from God while meeting Valerie. Typically, I am always 10 minutes late for most meetings, because I try to do “just one more thing,” feeling guilty that I didn’t get enough “things” done in the first place. However, this day was different. Vowing to leave early, I was going to stop at a Publix Presto ATM or my bank’s ATM, to get money out for my lunch meeting. Plus, I wanted to be 15 minutes early to read the newspaper, since I had yet to read it that day, and chat with the folks at the meeting. The weather was raining lightly as I left the building, so I wanted to make sure I had enough time to adjust for the rain. As soon as I got into my car, it began to pour.

As I was driving east, the rain increased. At about the Fletcher’s Mill area on Newberry Road, I saw a woman on a bike riding east on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. She was struggling with the bike in the downpour and the cars were oblivious to her as they sprayed her whizzing by. She had on a purple long coat and what looked like a checkered scarf wrapped around her head, like the kind Arab men wear. At first I thought she was Muslim, because she was covered from head to toe but, then I thought most likely she was a poor black woman because when the poor ride bikes in Gainesville, it’s not for health or exercise. It’s because they can’t afford a car or the bus doesn’t go to their neighborhood or worse, they can’t afford bus fare. I remembered what my friend Roberta told me a few weeks ago about some women in Archer. These ladies walk to-and-from work at hotels near I-75 and Archer Road because they can’t afford a car and the bus doesn’t go that far west.

In that moment, as I glanced in the direction of this woman, I heard God, “Turn around and give her a ride.” Thinking I was simply reacting out of guilt, seeing this woman struggle in the rain while I cruised dryly by in my car, I said that I can’t turn around. I have a meeting to get to and I don’t want to be late; I have to stop at a bank or Publix ATM. Then I heard it even more clearly, “Turn around and give her a ride,” and to make sure I realized this was God and not some sort of imagined guilt trip on my part, God started to give me Scripture so I would know it was Him speaking, and not my imagination. “Do the Word, don’t just listen to it and deceive yourself.” (Paraphrase of James 1:22) “Whoever does this to the least of these, does it to me.” (Paraphrase of Matthew 25:40) And then He said, I would see Jesus in her eyes. There was a pressing in my heart for this woman that I had not felt before – I had heard others speak of the “pressing,” but I never felt it. It’s like the Chris Rice lyrics “Smell the color 9” where others had special revelation but I didn’t, and it was like trying to smell the color 9.

I couldn’t shake this woman from my thoughts as God repeated the Scriptures plus more that I can’t recall now. I repeated my argument with God, “I have to go to Publix or the bank. No time to stop, God!” Then I defiantly turned my car north onto NW 98th Ave rounding the corner near Northwest Baptist Church. That’s when I heard God mention the parable of the two sons. One son said he would do what his father asked, yet didn’t. The other son said no, changed his mind, returned and did as his father asked. (Matthew 21:28-32) That’s when I said out loud, “OK, God! I’ll turn around!”

So on NW 98th Ave, at the entrance to Broadmoor, I turned around. Right before I had turned north on 98th at the Newberry light, I had seen another person walking in the rain with an umbrella, but God didn’t tell me to stop for this person. So after rounding the corner a second time now, heading west in the opposite direction of where I needed to go, I passed that person without a burden to stop – no guilt either. As I traveled west looking for this woman, I thought maybe she went to a house or turned down a street or would decline the ride and I would be off the hook; lesson learned – “obey God” – and no worse for the minutes of “lost time.” God said, “I know the intentions of your heart,” and again “you’ll see Jesus in her eyes.” So now, I felt convicted on top of it all.

Sure enough, there she was on the sidewalk now walking the bike and absolutely soaked wet. I pulled over, rolled down my window and asked if she wanted a ride. Putting my flashers on so I wouldn’t be rear-ended, she said, “But I have my bike,” looking at my PT thinking her bike wouldn’t fit. I told her the bike would fit because I would put my seats down. With that she said, “OK!”

So, I pulled close to the curb, bumping up against it, jumped out with my umbrella overhead and ran around the back of my PT. It was pouring and I quickly realized the umbrella was of no use and slowing me down. So I chucked it into the back seat, popped the back seats to lay them down, popped the hatch to lift the hatchback, helping the lady as we lifted the bike into the back of my car. “It fits!” she happily said. The water was rushing down the gutters over my ankles as I stood in the rain, with my Nine West shoes, my Black & White skirt and jacket. I noticed she had on a purple, winter-wool coat and the scarf was actually a green and white checkered bath towel – the thin, cheap kind. She was poor so the bike was her mode of transportation while I had a nice car. We both jumped into the car, put on our seat belts, and moved back into traffic, so I could u-turn and head back east since we were both heading in that direction. I began to chat with my new guest and learned her name is Valerie. I used to work with her sister at GRU. She lives in Jonesville and was heading to Publix. Not the Publix at Jonesville or by the K-mart, but the one near UF’s Golf Course on SW 34th Street. I found it odd that she passed by two perfectly good Publix stores en route to the one she wanted to go to but, I didn’t question her; we just drove on.

She asked if it was out of my way and I said in fact no; I was heading east to go downtown for a meeting and needed to stop at a Publix to get money from the ATM. I thought, how amazing that God chose this woman for me to assist when I needed to go to an ATM at Publix. That’s when I knew I had truly heard from God.

I asked Valerie why she ventured out in the weather and she replied she was hungry, needed food and thought she would ride her bike east to the first RTS stop, put her bike on the bus’s bike rack and go to her Publix.

Valerie didn’t look directly at me, she seemed a little embarrassed but I kept talking, hoping to make her feel comfortable. When we got to the 34th Street Publix, she eagerly jumped out of the car. After wrestling the bike out of the car, Valerie walked it to the bike rack saying thank you. I went to the ATM, got out my $20 bucks and headed to the Chamber for my meeting. I arrived 15 minutes early, read the paper in the car as planned, I was already almost dry, and my hair wasn’t atrocious. Only God can do that, I thought.

Typical for me, I stayed after the meeting to make sure I spoke with everyone I could; after all, that’s my job. On my way back to the office, for a 2:00 PM meeting, I felt compelled to see if Valerie needed a ride home. I stopped at the Publix, saw her bike in the bike rack, parked my car and went into the store to check for her. One lady behind the Deli resembled Valerie and I thought perhaps that’s the person who helps Valerie with groceries. Not seeing her in the store, I leave now planning to drive back to the office, stopping for gas, but following the bus route in case I saw her. Just as I’m getting into my car, her purple coat catches my eye. She is wearing a backpack loaded down so heavily, I didn’t know how she would ride that bike while wearing it. Valerie accepts my offer for a ride home and we repeat the loading of the bike into my car. We’re experts now.

This time I decided to tell her that God told me to stop for her and that I would see Jesus in her eyes. Still embarrassed, she had little eye contact with me, but chatted more comfortably this time. We talked about kids. She has one daughter, 14 years old in high school but lives with her Dad. I learned the woman who once owned the cooking store beneath my office – before it became a restaurant – used to give Valerie rides to town when she saw her walking. Valerie said there are nice people who help her.

Just as eager as she was to get out of my car at the 34th Street Publix, Valerie jumped out quickly when I pulled into the Jonesville Publix parking lot. She needed to stop at the Dollar General before heading home and wanted to walk from there. After saying goodbye, I had enough time to get gas at the Kangaroo, and make my 2:00 PM meeting back at my office. Again, God’s perfect timing.

As I passed the intersection of Newberry Road and CR 241, I saw Valerie crossing the road… she was talking to herself. My heart ached for her and I prayed that God would heal her, protect her and provide for her. I started to question whether I should have given her a ride, then God reminded me of what I had learned that day.

God chose Valerie to teach me a few things. First, I hear God speaking to me, when I read Scripture. It’s not audible. He just makes the meaning evident connecting it to other Scripture giving me a well-rounded revelation. This time when He spoke, I wasn’t reading, but it was nearly audible and once again, I recognized God because of the Scripture He used to speak to me. Now I will know when God speaks to me when I’m not reading and I will recognize Him by His Word. This just reinforced how critical it is to read my Bible because otherwise, I would have never known God was speaking.

I had just finished reading James – about six months of studying in James – so the lessons God was teaching me through Valerie, were the practical applications of what He taught me in James. I had just finished reading “Same Kind of Different as Me” and the sequel “What Difference do it Make?” Since the books were concerning growing faith while dealing with the issue of homelessness, God knew I would be alert to folks like Valerie. (The authors Ron Hall and Denver Moore cautioned their readers, to not just spontaneously “help” the homeless, as it can be dangerous. They recounted a few stories in their sequel of people who had been hurt or killed just stopping spontaneously to help. The story of Ron and Denver was of relationship with God through Christ and with each other.)

However, God knew my heart and doubts and verified His call to me through Scripture. I had been asking Him to increase my love for Him, my trust and obedience, and my boldness to tell others. He gave me a test on all of these requests through Valerie so I could see where I am with Him on these aspects of our relationship. I learned I wasn’t as serious as I thought I was about God. He also knew I was concerned about being on time to my meetings, getting lunch-money, and looking presentable. All were fulfilled in God’s mercy.

So, what I learned most was how to hear when God is speaking. I also learned my intentions of growing closer to God were not as pure as I had hoped. I learned I am deeply double-minded and selfish, honoring God with my lips – “I submit my life to you, Lord Jesus” – but I really wasn’t submissive or obedient. So I learned about God and myself, where I am with Him truly, and where He is with me. I thank God for Valerie. Consequently, I did see Jesus in her eyes, as Jesus Himself taught me through Valerie. I’m glad I turned around.

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Epilogue

On March 13th while jogging in Pensacola listening to my iPod, the Chris Rice song “The Face of Christ” played. It illustrated so many of the lessons I had just learned plus the experience with Valerie. That’s when I knew I had to write down the story of Valerie and share it with my family and friends. Here are the lyrics to that Chris Rice song.

He shares a room outside with a dozen other guys
And the only roof he knows is that sometimes starry sky
A tattered sleeping bag on a concrete slab is his bed
And it’s too cold to talk tonight
So I just sit with him instead and think
How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ
After sixteen years in a cold, gray prison yard
Somehow his heart is soft, but keeping simple faith is hard
He lays his Bible open on the table next to me
And as I hear his humble prayer
I feel his longing to be free someday
How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ
See you had no choice which day you would be born
Or the color of your skin, or what planet you’d be on
Would your mind be strong, would your eyes be blue or brown
Whether daddy would be rich, or if momma stuck around at all
So if you find yourself in a better place
You can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
You gotta stoop down low, look him square in the eye
And get a funny feeling, ‘cause you might be dealing ...
How did I find myself in a better place
I can’t look down on the frown on the other guy’s face
‘Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ