I had a God moment yesterday.

Two nights ago I slept for only about two hours
because I was frantically trying to finish a research paper for one of my
political science classes. The next day, while sitting in my first class, I
decided that I would reward myself for working hard and finishing that paper by
going to Chipotle to get a burrito.

Before I go on, there's something you should know
about me. I love Mexican food. Not in
the same way I love God, or my family, or you, my friends, but I really think it's
tasty. So I was already salivating at the thought of eating a Chipotle burrito.
MMM MMM mmmmmmm.

After my second class got out, I walked the half
mile or so quite briskly to Chipotle, with my stomach growling all the way. While I was nearing Chipotle and could see it
a block away, I felt a little check in my heart...like going to stuff my face
with delicious Mexican food was somehow not what I was supposed to do that
afternoon. I continued walking and was just a few shops away, when I noticed
something in between me and my destination. He was a mid-50s black man who was
shaking a Chipotle cup with a few quarters in it. Immediately I knew that I could not walk past without
talking with him.

Would I quickly say no to his plea for money and
give him the shoulder so that I wouldn't have to give something up? I knew I
didn't have cash in my wallet so for a second I thought I was "safe"
and wouldn't have to serve this homeless man. BUT, I knew what I was supposed
to do. What God had laid on my heart to do.

I was a few feet away from him now. He asked me
for money. I said I didn't have any but asked him if he wanted some food,
pointing to Chipotle. He let me know just the way he liked it. Burrito with
chicken, hot salsa, the works....Exactly how I was going to order mine.

I got in line, and immediately began thinking
about how I was going to make this experience "worth it". I knew I only had $6.50-something in my
checking account...and that would only buy one burrito. The thought entered
my head, I am ashamed to admit, that I could just buy it and walk out the other
door quickly, avoiding interaction with him again, and try to still get my
Chipotle fix without having to give up this burrito (what had become somewhat
of an idol for me), which I was so hungry to eat. Absolutely not! I would buy
this burrito for this man, because that's what I promised I would do. Ugh, I was SO hungry. Then an urge
moved into my heart that battled against my hunger. (Thank you, Jesus!). Give up the burrito. Give it up, and ask
this man what his relationship with God is like. Care about his heart, not my
stomach.

I ordered the burrito, paid, and walked out the
door and toward the man. I handed him the burrito and he said, "God bless you."
I asked him, "Do you know Jesus?" He said yes, and we talked
about his life for a minute or two.

He offered to split the burrito with me. I said
no, but that I would pray for him whenever I got hunger pains for the rest of
the afternoon. He asked if I would pray for him right now. As students streamed
by on the sidewalk, I prayed for this man with my arm on his shoulder. I prayed
for God to bless him, and to continue to provide for him, and to strengthen
him. It was a beautiful moment, where although I had been selfish, and wanted
to just serve myself, God humbled me and
used me, a sinner, to bless someone else.

I had to get to class, and he had to keep shaking
his cup for money, since he couldn't make ends meet on the $500 per month
disability he was receiving from the government. I will continue to pray for
Brian: that God strengthens him, and continues to provide for him, and that he
grows in his faith and trust in Jesus.

Let's seek more experiences like this. Let's ask
God to guide us by the Holy Spirit and to use us more often to love and serve
others!