I pulled up to the intersection and saw the same scene for the 1,892nd time. A bearded man with a ball cap, sitting on his honches, holding a cardboard sign which read “Hard Times”. There were more words on the sign but as I whizzed by and came to an abrupt stop three cars behind the red light, “Hard Times” were the only two words that stuck. 

Have you ever experienced “hard times?”
Me too…

The Apostle Paul was having “hard times.” He was in prison. His crime? He was passionate about an itinerate, bearded man who offered good news to those experiencing hard times. 

So, there Paul sat in a first century prison.
He began writing a letter to the Church in Philippi. 
The tenor and timbre of the letter was replete with joy, and rejoicing. 
How is it that a bearded man sitting in the squalor of a first century prison could be writing a letter that oozes the aroma of gladness and joy?

I doubt Paul had a cardboard sign with the words, “Hard Times” written on them, but the Church in Philippi heard the news and sent their trusted friend Epaphroditus to go visit Paul in prison.

The rustic and stale, stank smell of the prison quickly turned into laughing, guffawing, wonder and giggling as Epaphroditus offered Paul a gift from the home church. You might call it a care package. Whatever the contents it made Paul respond with a letter filled with phrases like, “Rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice!” 

Paul writes in this manner because someone saw the “Hard Times” cardboard sign and responded with a gift. 

I am constantly amazed at the speed in which the human brain can recall, retell, remember, align, put two and two together and cause the body to react almost instinctively. 

And so it happened…
I see the cardboard sign…
My car came to a sharp stop…
I remembered Epaphroditus…
I remembered the Apostle Paul…
I remembered I had a one hundred dollar bill in my pocket!

My car had rolled a little bit past the bearded man with a ball cap holding the cardboard sign. 
I rolled down the back passenger window in tandem with the front passenger window. 
I yelled, “Hey…”
He was quick to his feet and in a split second he was bent over looking through my window. 

We made eye contact and I said, “Hey man. What’s your name?” 
His eyes darted back and forth before saying, “Zach.”

“Zach! My name is David and I have been blessed in my life and I want to pass this on to you.”
I handed him the one hundred dollar bill which I had folded in to thirds. 
He grabbed the money, gave me a rather perfunctory, “Thank you…”

And then he looked down at what he was holding and time stood still.
The red light lasted longer than normal.
His mind began to race and his words stuttered, “Oh, oh, oh man. Wow. Wow. Thank you. Wow man Thank you!”

I responded with, “Zach. Thank you for being out here and reaching out. I hope people are being kind to you.”
“Yes sir, they sure are…” he replied.

“I hope you are going to have a good Thanksgiving and a good day,” I offered.
And then Zach did something I hadn’t seen until that very moment. 
Zach smiled!
From ear to ear…
He could not stop. He was beaming. His eyes became shooting stars!
Zach looked right at me and said, “My day, my Thanksgiving just got a whole lot better!”

“Zach! I am praying for you! Happy Thanksgiving!”

What were the last words I heard from Zach?
“I am praying too. Happy Thanksgiving! Drive safe!”

I don’t know if sitting on the corner of two major streets holding a cardboard sign is some sort of prison sentence.
If that’s the case, well then, I got to be Epaphroditus to Zach and perhaps Zach’s day and outlook for the next few hours is a little brighter and filled with joy, rejoicing and laughter. 

I thank God that the words, “Hard Times” caught my eye and God provided me with the privilege of helping Zach do something I am sure Zach loves to do – Smile!

Happy Thanksgiving Zach!
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you reaching this post. 

Got an extra $20, $50, $100 dollar bill in your pocket? 
Be an Epaphroditus and bring a smile to someone’s life.
It will definitely bring a smile to yours!

Grace and peace, 
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!

ps – Happy Thanksgiving!