Buford

            “God told me to do this.”

            “God asked me to talk to you.”

            But I never believed anyone who said these sorts of things mainly because I never heard God talk to me.  I have always viewed myself as a Christian and I pray every day but I never heard God say anything to me.  I always said that I would listen if He did.   

            My wife, Linda, has tried to tell me that God does not always speak in a regular form but perhaps as a feeling or dream or a simple notion or some other way that we will not exactly understand.  I have always just accepted that explanation. 

Until That day.

I was at a place that sold tomatoes.  There was a long wall just outside and each time I was there the same man was there, sitting on a homemade chair beside a ‘borrowed’ food cart that seemed to contain all of his possessions.  He never looked at me or uttered a sound.  He just sat there.  Nobody seemed to know his name but we decided to call him Buford.  The poor guy did not seem to have a life at all.  And he looked hungry.

I normally didn’t pay any attention to Buford, but today for some reason was different.  I had a thought.  I do not know where it came from.  My mind seemed to say over and over again, “Feed this man and tell him God loves him.” So I immediately put that out of my mind.  But as I walked home it came coming back over and over.  Was I going crazy?  Probably.  I never had those kinds of thoughts before.  I tried to think of other things but the same thought kept coming back.  And by the time I got home I was obsessed with the idea and could not stop it.   

I went into my house and went straight to the refrigerator, took out a ham Linda had just cooked and began to make a sandwich.  One small sandwich ought to do it I thought.  But I kept making the sandwich bigger.  And then I made a second sandwich.   I was about to put them in a bag when I decided to maybe add some cheese and lettuce.  And perhaps some mayonnaise and a few pickles.

And then Linda came in and asked me what I was doing.  I told her that I didn’t know why but I had to feed Buford and tell him that God loved him.  I truly expected Linda to call the medics but she stopped what she was doing and went to the pantry, coming out with a huge sack.  She then filled it with an apple, two bananas, a bunch of cookies and a large bag of potato chips.  I put my two sandwiches in on top and we both started out to see about Buford.

I have been nervous a lot of times but never like this.  I didn’t know what I was doing or why.  I just wanted the thought to stop.  We drove to Buford’s regular spot.  Linda told me that it was now up to me.  Ain’t she cute, now?  I started three times to get out of the car before I finally just took a deep breath and stomped on out.  I walked up to Buford holding that bag and tried to smile.  It was difficult because Buford wasn’t smiling at all.  He just looked at me and said, “What do you want?”

I was shaking the bag but I managed to hand it to him.  I can’t believe I told him, “God asked me to bring you this and He wants you to know that He loves you.”

That was all I said. And I left.  Buford still did not utter a sound. He just looked at me as if to say I was some of nut.  And at the time I totally would have agreed with him. 

As we went back home it all of a sudden occurred to me that the thought that had been bugging me all day was gone.  I really did do what God told me to do.  And if you think I am crazy that is all right with me.  But I have never felt as good about something as I am about this experience. 

So I have told the story.  I have written about it.  And now the secret is out.  It is a true story and you can take it for whatever you think it is worth.  I am not trying to change anybody.  But for some reason it is now easier for me to love just about everybody.  And I am thankful!  Thank you for reading.