God’s not mad at you.

It was a beautiful summer day and I was sitting in my car in the Pizza Hut parking lot waiting for someone. I had my car door propped open and was scrolling on my phone when I heard someone calling me, “Hey, what are you doing? Do you want some pizza?” I looked up to see a huge six foot plus African American man coming toward me. This was not the person I was waiting for and I immediately tensed up when I saw him. He was all sweaty, looked like he might be high on something, and I was a woman alone.

He proceeded to come closer and press in with more of his questions. “Are you hungry? Have you eaten? C’mon, eat some pizza with me.” I did my best to not let fear creep in and told him I was waiting for someone and that they would be coming very soon. This did not deter him whatsoever and he would not leave me alone. I quickly checked in with the Lord. “God, what’s going on? Why is this man here in broad daylight asking me to have pizza with him?”

I briefly ran through the scenario in my mind. I knew Pizza Hut would have people and cameras and it seemed safer than being alone in the parking lot with this man, so after a dozen times of him pressing me to go in to the restaurant, I finally said, “Sure, I’ll eat pizza with you”. I could tell the Lord had something up His sleeve with this situation, but I didn’t know what.

The waitress eyed us a little oddly when she seated us at our table and took our orders, but didn’t say anything. I wondered at the man across from me in the booth. Was he drunk? Was he high? Where did he come from? I quickly found out he had just got out of prison the night before. Great Nancy, just great. He pulled out a roll of money and said he was buying as I proceeded to decline his marriage proposals and say I wasn’t interested. What in the world had I gotten myself into.

Finally, he asked me what I did. I told him I was a Pastor. His jaw dropped. Of all the girls to have pizza with, he had picked a Pastor. A moment of awkward silence ensued. Then his story started spilling out as he felt the freedom to tell me what was going on. He hadn’t seen his family in four years and was debating whether to take a bus home or not. He was ashamed and afraid, wondering if God and his family would accept him because of what he had done.

The Lord told me exactly what to say: “Hey, God’s not mad at you.” Tears started streaming down his face right there in front of Pizza Hut and everybody! The Lord gave the right words and helped me minister to that man about the grace, forgiveness, and love that God had for him. Of course, God never gives up on anyone, no matter how far they’ve run from Him!

He finished his pizza in tears, and we walked out of the restaurant together. I gave him a hug and told him to go see his family; it was time. He walked across the parking lot towards the bus and I went to my car. I never saw him again but I knew a prodigal was returning to his Father. “…when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran to him…for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” Luke 15: 20, 24 KJV.

The person I was supposed to meet that day never showed up. I knew God had orchestrated that meeting and had me in the right place at the right time. He loves people! And He needs all of us to minister to the ones that are around us every single day. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NKJV.