The Visit
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle A
It was a "go nowhere" sort of a job. The job itself was fun, working part-time during high school. The extra spending money and the new friends made this job seem more than it actually was. This was not the sort of job one kept much past high school, working at a small fast food stand in the local mall. Once Joe graduated he worked full-time. He quickly realized that he should turn his attention in other directions. Joe's days were spent preparing food and waiting on customers.
Joe quickly made some new friends. When he worked part-time in the evening he knew other people; now that he was working full-time there were different people to meet. Workers of nearby stores would stop for a few minutes to talk. Joe was a friendly sort of a guy. One day a shopper stopped by explaining that it was her day to run errands. She had with her an elderly aunt and nearly blind uncle. She asked Joe how long he had worked there. She explained she usually shopped once a month and the next time she was in the mall she would stop to say hello. Joe was unsure what to think, a woman who appeared to be his mother's age with elderly relatives wanting to talk with him. Joe did not give this a second thought as he went about his work.
The next month, true to her word, the woman stopped by again with her aunt and uncle. She purchased sodas and stood sipping them while talking with Joe for a couple of minutes. She left, again saying she would see him next time she would be at the mall.
For the next several months this would be the woman's pattern. She would usually shop in mid-morning the second week of the month. Every time she would stop to talk she would have her elderly relatives with her. The woman did most of the talking while her aunt and uncle just stood by quietly sipping their drinks or eating their snacks. Joe enjoyed visiting a few minutes with this pleasant woman every month.
Joe never mentioned anything about being dissatisfied with his job. By summer's end he realized he should be doing more with his life.
The monotony of doing the exact same thing day in and day out was getting to Joe. Joe thought about going to college and began writing to several colleges for information.
One day as the woman was visiting with Joe she said something very profound. She told Joe he would make a good pastor. That was all she said. Joe had never spoken of the longing in his heart. This woman saw something in Joe that he was actually contemplating. For Joe it was a moment of divine affirmation. Having said that, the woman left. Joe began college classes that January. Joe does not remember ever talking with this woman again.
Joe quickly made some new friends. When he worked part-time in the evening he knew other people; now that he was working full-time there were different people to meet. Workers of nearby stores would stop for a few minutes to talk. Joe was a friendly sort of a guy. One day a shopper stopped by explaining that it was her day to run errands. She had with her an elderly aunt and nearly blind uncle. She asked Joe how long he had worked there. She explained she usually shopped once a month and the next time she was in the mall she would stop to say hello. Joe was unsure what to think, a woman who appeared to be his mother's age with elderly relatives wanting to talk with him. Joe did not give this a second thought as he went about his work.
The next month, true to her word, the woman stopped by again with her aunt and uncle. She purchased sodas and stood sipping them while talking with Joe for a couple of minutes. She left, again saying she would see him next time she would be at the mall.
For the next several months this would be the woman's pattern. She would usually shop in mid-morning the second week of the month. Every time she would stop to talk she would have her elderly relatives with her. The woman did most of the talking while her aunt and uncle just stood by quietly sipping their drinks or eating their snacks. Joe enjoyed visiting a few minutes with this pleasant woman every month.
Joe never mentioned anything about being dissatisfied with his job. By summer's end he realized he should be doing more with his life.
The monotony of doing the exact same thing day in and day out was getting to Joe. Joe thought about going to college and began writing to several colleges for information.
One day as the woman was visiting with Joe she said something very profound. She told Joe he would make a good pastor. That was all she said. Joe had never spoken of the longing in his heart. This woman saw something in Joe that he was actually contemplating. For Joe it was a moment of divine affirmation. Having said that, the woman left. Joe began college classes that January. Joe does not remember ever talking with this woman again.
