The other night I went to my favorite restaurant for dinner.

It’s the type where you walk down the line, cafeteria-style, as they build your meal.

One of the employees is a good friend of mine. She just happened to be working.

When she asked me how I was, I said, “fine,”.

She knows me well enough to know that wasn’t true so she said, “Really?”

I explained I’d been out of town for a week and was trying to get back in the swing of things.

Then it happened.

I blurted out the truth: “My brother died.”

I followed it up with a few sentences of explanation concerning his young age and drug use.

She was very kind and empathetic, encouraging me to call or text her later so we could talk.

I thanked her and changed the subject.

When it came time to pay, the Shift Manager, who’d been standing with us when we had that conversation, handed me my meal and said,

“It’s on the House!”

I told him he didn’t have to do that and offered to pay.

He looked me in the eye and said, “No, take it. And have a blessed night, okay?”

When he said that, I immediately felt the Holy Spirit’s presence. In that instant I felt so loved! Such peace washed over me.

Something inside me clicked. I suddenly felt such peace about Matt’s passing. I felt such healing and relief.

There is no doubt in my mind God used this brother-in-the-faith to minister to and comfort me.

Who knew that the simple act of giving someone a free meal, just because they could, would change someone’s outlook and bring them such peace, healing, comfort, and relief?

I am so thankful for those Christians out there who love on others just because they can. They do things to help them, not for gain, but for the simple pleasure of doing good.

What joy they sow in the lives of others!

I’m so thankful the Lord chose to use a “regular Joe” to reach out to me in my pain and love me. He truly was the hands of Christ that day.

I pray God will bless him for his gift to me and I pray God will allow me to love others the way he loved me!