At first glance, there was nothing outstanding about her. She stood in the line ahead of me in the small-town cafe, a petite lady with a weathered face.

I paid little attention to her or anyone else as I ordered and paid for my lavender London Fog.

As I walked toward the door, I saw her sitting at a table alone. Watching me. When I looked her direction, she beamed at me – a warm, heartfelt smile worth a thousand words.

I smiled back, pulled out my phone, glanced at the time… 10 minutes early to pick up my car. I changed my mind about leaving and selected a table instead.

This lady made conversation with a few other patrons, acting genuinely interested in each individual as a fellow human being. And she kept looking my direction, studying me.

Her eyes contained the light of Jesus Christ, and her face was aglow with His love for mankind.

Something in me felt compelled to talk to her… but I didn’t quite know why. I really didn’t have the energy to put into conversation with anyone, let alone a random stranger. But I kept feeling that nudge.

“Why?” I argued. “She looks like she already has Christ in her heart. She doesn’t look as though she needs anything I could give. Do I have to minister to her?”

Finally, I rose to leave. She smiled at me. Again. And started talking.

I stepped closer to her table, wondering why I bothered. Did I really need to know where her son and daughter lived, or how long she had been in this town, or about the fire in a historic building that had been important to her?

But somehow, that conversation kept flowing. Until she said, “What people need, is God.”

I agreed, of course, and next thing I knew she was telling me about her conversion and how faith in God changed her life.

I was thrilled to meet another member of God’s family! But I still didn’t understand why we were even talking.

But she kept speaking, words flowing over her lips so gently, and all the while her eyes shone with love.

“Life really is simple,” she told me, “We humans just complicate it. When we keep our eyes on God, that’s all we need.”

“Sometimes, life is complex,” I answered without thinking. “But you’re right – we need to focus on God.”

She looked me as though she knew that my heart was full of questions. She waited a moment, then spoke again,

“You know, I don’t think God wants us to know all the answers. Because He wants us to trust Him with the answers, and only to say in faith those words, Thy will be done.“

Just like that, I realized why we were having this conversation. God hadn’t sent me to her… He had sent her, to minister to me.

I thanked her with heartfelt appreciation. Told her I believe God sent her to encourage me. That I had seen the light in her eyes immediately when she first smiled, and knew she had Jesus in her heart.

She just smiled knowingly and said, “Sometimes we may meet angels unaware.” We were silent for a moment, then she continued softly, “What you see in my eyes is a reflection of yourself. That appears to you as Jesus, because you also reflect Him.”

I left soon, and she called after me, “We’ll see eachother again!” Oh, the joy on her face. Her wrinkled, beautiful face. I blinked back tears of joy and peace as I went on my way…

Encouraged to press on, and inspired to put in greater effort to entertain strangers in the future.

Today I was blessed by her willingness to be used by God – tomorrow I may be the one called to minister to another soul on their journey.

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2