The Generous Ex-con

Yesterday, I went to the post office to mail some books. The woman working behind the counter said, “Hey! After you were here the last time, I Googled you. Can you tell me in a nutshell what happened to your son?

I explained what happened, then she shared some things with me concerning her son. I told her that I had some books in my car, and asked if she wanted one. She told me to bring it with me the next time so she could make sure she had money.

As I headed toward the exit door, a man who had just finished mailing something asked me, “What are you trying to sell?”

“A book!” 

The woman said, “She wrote a book.” 

“Let me buy one of those,” he said.

“But you don’t even know what it’s about. What if I wrote about women stuff?” 

“I don’t give a s***! If you are trying to make some money, I’m going to support you.”

Mind you, I donot know this man.

“Go ahead and get it out of your car, give me your Venmo, and I’ll send you money.”

He met me in the parking lot where I handed him a book and he Venmoed me.

I asked if he was going to read it. “I think you’ll like it. Doesn’t it look like a good book?”

He answered, “Yeah, but I don’t read.” 

I explained to him that I have students who said the same thing but couldn’t put it down.

He then shared that he had spent five years in prison and had his fill of books. Reading takes him back to a bad place. I told him I could understand that. He said his wife reads a ton, but that the book he bought from me was going to the woman behind the counter, inside the Post Office. He would look it up when he got home to see if his wife wanted it. 

I have a feeling I’m going to run into him again.

I share this encounter with you because I see God in it. There may be something God has asked you to do, but you can’t imagine how you will get it done or make it work. But if God leads you to it, He’ll lead you through it. In fact, sometimes, He’ll just do it! When He calls on us, our only answer should be “Yes, Lord.” The logistics are not our concern. If He has a word for the masses, He will make sure they hear it, even if it’s through a random encounter with a generous ex-con in the post office at closing time.