DeoOmnisGloria.com

How God works

Occasionally I write short stories examining some aspect of how God functions in our lives. They are written by a mere man, so they are simply reflections of how God might take care of us. I thought I'd post one and get your comments. Here's the story:

Eileen smiled. Her wonderful day shopping had finally ended in style. She probably wouldn’t have bought the last necklace of pearls if the salesman hadn’t smiled so big, but it was only a few hundred dollars and Eileen had the money to spare. Those pearls would come in handy when she dressed up for dinner at the country club. She always went once a month and she always made sure to look her best. Several friends met her there for their one night of very good food a month – everything else was a strict diet.

As she walked along Eileen considered that a simple smile made her day. God bless that boy, she thought. With or without the pearls she felt better simply because of the attention. After all, we’re all human and enjoy knowing someone realizes we exist. This need probably grows as you get older, Eileen thought, and at eighty-two I apparently have a large need for it. Oh well, that’s the way it goes.

Out of the corner of her eye, Eileen noticed a gruff man simply throw his newspaper into the street. Littering was a pet peeve of hers and she started to say something, but there was an odd look in the man’s face that scared Eileen a little. The man walked a little further down the street and entered a pawn shop.

“That figures,” Eileen thought, “those pawn shops never did anyone any good.”

Eileen never noticed the package she carried slip into the street or the beads roll to the side. In fact, Eileen’s memory wasn’t as good as it used to be and she wouldn’t remember the pearls after getting home, but the man’s smile would keep her day feeling a little brighter than before.

Richard was desperate. He had never made much money, so this was nothing entirely new. But it was different. Richard had been out of work for three weeks last month. His new job started when rent was due, so he had gone to a pawn shop and borrowed the money for rent. Now the situation had worsened. The pawn shop wanted their money back – plus interest, of course – and Richard only had enough for the latest rent payment. His wife had just delivered their first child and she was still out of work, which meant things were tight. But the new job had real promise – Richard had already been given some additional responsibility that might lead to a better income. If he could find a way to keep his apartment near work and get the pawn shop to loosen up.

As he walked to the pawn shop he said a simply prayer asking God for the owner to be merciful. As he turned the corner he tripped and fell on a newspaper someone had thrown down – it wrenched his knee pretty badly. The pain shot up his leg and shocked him a little; he sat up against the nearest building. As the pain subsided Richard noticed a necklace sitting in the street and picked it up, wondering to whom it belonged. He looked around to see if anyone was searching for the necklace, but the street was almost deserted.

Well, Richard thought, maybe I’ll drop it off at the police station on my way home. He got back up and shook the remaining vestiges of the pain out of his leg. The knee felt much better, so he continued to the pawn shop. As he entered, he realized the conversation wouldn’t be as easy as hoped.

“Richard,” the owner immediately yelled, “where’s my money?” The owner was perturbed. “I expected it last week.”

“You told me to come by today,” Richard protested to no use.

“Whatever, just give me the money. I’m sick of waiting on it.” Richard tried to explain his personal situation, but the owner was less than sympathetic. He would have to hope the apartment complex could wait a week – the owner’s threats were getting more ominous and this was trouble Richard didn’t need, especially with a new family.

“Okay, okay, here’s the money,” Richard said as he reached into his pocket. As he pulled the money out, the necklace dropped out as well.

“Wait a second,” the owner focused on the necklace “I’ll take that as payment.” Apparently he understood the value much more than Richard did.

“I wish I could, but I just found it on the street – it isn’t mine.” Richard shrugged as if the question was decided, but the owner wasn’t interested in his morals or his interpretation.

“Too bad, Richard. That necklace is mine. Now get out of here.” Richard was a little stunned – his debt was forgiven, but he still felt very conflicted over whether the necklace was actually his. The owner, who was slightly less conflicted, ended the conversation with an obscene gesture and word that clarified things for Richard: there was no getting the necklace back. He could pray for the person who lost it, but he didn’t think it would ever get back to them.

Richard walked out of the store wondering if this was an answered prayer or another reason to get to confession. But he did walk a little lighter on his feet . . .

Two hours later, Johnny entered the pawn shop with a desperate look in his face. This was his fourth pawn shop today and he needed a string of pearls badly. He quickly walked over to the jewelry display and began looking through the numerous gold chains. Doesn’t anyone appreciate pearls anymore, he thought. And then he saw it – a perfect strand of pearls, almost like new. A lump caught in his throat and he could only think, Thank God! The price was too high, though, so he would have to haggle with the owner. Luckily, the gruff owner seemed reasonable and they quickly settled on a price Johnny could afford. The pearls were his as he walked out the door.

Johnny had always told his daughter she was a beautiful white pearl in a world filled with swine. She loved the Biblical metaphor as much as she loved her father. Little did he know the phrase was so accurate. His daughter was hit by a drunk driver yesterday and was in serious condition at the hospital. The nurses didn’t give her much time, but Johnny thought that maybe with a string of pearls he could talk her into coming out of the coma. She would look so beautiful in them. It was a long shot, he knew, but she was the only thing he and his wife cared about in this world – her mother was unable to have more children because of complications during birth. These pearls would do it, Johnny hoped against hope and prayed to a God he didn’t really know. I just know it.