The Letter
AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE
> >> Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter..
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then
> >> she looked at
> >> the envelope again.
> >>
> >> There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She read the letter:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Dear Ruth:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and
> >> I’d like to
> >> stop by for a visit.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Love Always,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Jesus
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the
> >> table. ‘Why would
> >> the Lord want to visit me?
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to
> >> offer.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen
> >> cabinets.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to
> >> offer. I’ll have to run
> >> down to the store and buy something for dinner.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She reached for her purse and counted out its contents.
> >> Five dollars and
> >> forty cents.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and
> >> a carton of
> >> milk…leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last
> >> her until
> >> Monday.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager
> >> offerings
> >> tucked under her arm.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Hey lady, can you help us,lady?’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she
> >> hadn’t even noticed
> >> two figures huddled in the alleyway.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than
> >> rags.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Look lady, I ain’t got a job, you know, and my
> >> wife and I have been
> >> living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s
> >> getting cold and
> >> we’re getting kinda
> >>
> >> hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we’d
> >> really appreciate
> >> it.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Ruth looked at them both.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was
> >> certain that they
> >> could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor
> >> woman myself.. All I have is
> >> a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an
> >> important guest for
> >> dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to
> >> Him.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks
> >> anyway.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The man put his arm around the woman’s
> >>
> >> shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in
> >> her heart.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Sir, wait!’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley
> >> after them.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll
> >> figure out something else to
> >> serve my guest.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She handed the man her grocery bag.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Thank you lady. Thank you very much!’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Yes, thank you!’ It was the man’s wife, and
> >> Ruth could see now that she
> >> was shivering
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘You know, I’ve got another coat at home.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Here, why don’t you take this one.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the
> >> woman’s shoulders.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the
> >> street….without her
> >> coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘Thank you lady!
> >>
> >>
> >> Thank you very much!’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front
> >>
> >> door, and worried too.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The Lord was coming to visit and she didn’t have
> >> anything to offer Him.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she
> >> did, she
> >> noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ‘That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come
> >> twice in one day.’
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Dear Ruth:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> It was so good to see you again.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Thank you for the lovely meal.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Love Always,
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Jesus
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no
> >> longer
> >> noticed.
