“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry, and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick, and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the truth: Whenever you did one of these things to the least of those nearby, that was me—you did it to me.”
– Matthew 25: 34-40
On Christmas Eve morning, I was on a schedule. Last minute details and then I would be off to Lake Jackson to lead the worship services later in the day and all that was left was for me to do was to drop off my wife at the TSO to have her glasses adjusted while I drove to Buc-ees to fill up her gas tank. Pretty easy, right? Keep reading.
I made my drop at TSO and drove straight to Buc-eess with plenty of cash to fill ‘er up! I walked in and greeted the staff as I have always done since 1997. On schedule. On time.
No one wants to be late for the Christmas Eve worship service… especially if one is preaching. I saw an old merchant there… Jimmy… who’s kept my cars running over the years and we had a cheerful Christmas chat at the counter as I pre-paid for the fuel and then we both left the store.
I went out to the van, filled up the tank and jumped back in the driver’s seat attempting to start it up. No sound of an engine starting. I tried again. Christmas crickets. More silence than a silent night.
Then that still small voice in my head went… uh-oh… not ho-ho-ho… but uh-oh! I knew in an instant when I started the van in the driveway… my wife was in the passenger seat and so was her purse… with the keys in it… but when I dropped her off at TSO… with the car still running she took her purse with her. Merry Christmas.
I just experienced a first-world problem. Only 17% of the world’s population owns a car. I quickly looked for Jimmy, but he had just driven off. So… back into the store I went sharing my dilemma with the staff and calling my wife to let her know of my condition.
I looked around the gas pumps and noticed in the corner a man just finishing filling his tank. He was driving a pick-up truck, and I slowly approached him… asking… “Sir, are you in a hurry?” I wasn’t but it was after all Christmas Eve. “Not really,” he replied with a bit of a quizzical look. When was the last time someone asked you that question at the gas station… on Christmas Eve no less?
Well…I explained my dilemma… that the van was fueled and ready to go… but the keys were with my wife at the TSO as I asked if he had time to take me there and bring me back. He said, ‘sure, I had a car like that once’ and did. His name is Jose’ and his wife is Ellie… long-time Pearlanders graduating from PHS back in the 20th century… Christmas angels on a day when they easily could have said, ‘no’… but gave a stranger a gift.
I’ve thought about this moment many times in the past week. What if that was me? In the truck or Jose and Ellie or anyone else asking for a favor. On Christmas eve? Would I have said, ‘yes?’ Maybe. Maybe not. It’s humbling to think of yourself at “the least of these.” But I was in that moment and humbled as I was ‘key-less’ and they made all the difference… so thanks to Jose and Ellie for taking the time to help a stranger. The world needs more people like this! Merry Christmas…Faith matters!
The Rev. Dr. Brian K. Gigee is a long-time resident of Pearland, having pastored four churches over the last four decades in Texas and Louisiana. Read more following Brian’s blog ‘murmurings’ at https://briangigee.wordpress.com/. Send comments and/or questions to godworks247365@gmail.com.
