Avoiding People.

When I lived in Vancouver I would always look people in the eye and smile. I soon learned life is different in the big city than in a town. Many times people, who were not what most of us would think of as normal, would stop me to talk. Usually, they would ask me for money, but sometimes the men would ask me out. Sometimes the men would be rude when I turned them down, but not often. I gave money to those who asked.

After a few years I was wary. I didn't look and smile at men any longer and barely at women. I now understood all the things I had read about New York City. They say people are cold there, but mostly they are just trying to get through the day without a confrontation.

Anyway, Joyce Meyer was talking about how Jesus took time with people and stopped what he was doing to attend to them. She is so right about that, and I am ashamed how my open attitude changed while in Vancouver.

Once, when I was in my twenties, I saw a person from church coming towards me. I was an extremely shy person and prayed, "Oh, God don't let him see me." God said to me, "Ask him to come to your Bible study tonight." I did what God asked me and the man came.

He told the people at the study that he had decided to kill himself that night because he was so lonely and depressed. He decided he wouldn't because of our kindness to him that night. He became a good friend to all of us.

You never know what God will do with you if you are open to his leading and open to people.