Lost

As I wheeled my shopping trolley towards the supermarket checkout, I noticed a neatly dressed man standing nearby, looking confused.

‘I’m new here,’ he told me. ‘Can you tell me how I get out?’

A little confused myself as to why he could not see where to go, I guided him through another checkout. But as I finally left the supermarket myself, I saw this same gentleman standing outside, still confused. This time, I went up and asked if he was okay.

‘I’m lost,’ he told me. ‘I came on the bus but stopped to look at something and the others went on without me. I’m from the Christadelphian village. Do you know where our bus is?’

I did not but suggested we try the two main exits. At the first, there was no sign of his bus so we headed for the other at the far end of the centre. As we walked, he told me his name was Michael and that he was 84. I felt so sorry for him as, by this time, he looked so agitated and tired. We made it to the second exit – but again, no bus.

We then headed to the information counter but it was unmanned. So, I asked for help in a nearby chemist and someone pointed to a security guard hurrying by. I yelled out to him and discovered the bus pulled in at a tradesman’s entrance at the edge of the food court, so off we went again.

We had almost reached this entrance when my new friend’s face suddenly lit up.

‘There they are!’ he exclaimed with great relief and headed straight for a group of older people seated nearby. He hurriedly plonked down next to them and began to wipe sweat from his forehead.

‘That was a terrible experience,’ he said, gasping for breath. ‘Thank you very much for helping me!’

I turned to explain what had happened to the young carer in charge of the group but, to my shock, she did not seem too fazed at all – or even too inclined to care for Michael.

‘I think he needs a glass of water at least,’ I told her in my most disapproving tone, before wheeling my trolley away. But when I arrived home, I found I was still fuming. Surely they could have cared better for this poor gentleman? If I had not noticed him standing there so distressed, someone else would soon hopefully have helped him, but how long would that have taken?

Later, when I told my husband the story, I began thinking how graphically it depicted our own lost state when we do not know Jesus Christ. We may set off happily enough in life, following along with our friends and trying all sorts of different ways and experiences. But at some stage, like Michael, we may end up well and truly confused, alarmed and even hopeless. We may ask here and there for help but find none. Yet, Jesus is constantly reaching out to us, longing to set our feet on the right path again.

May we each respond with sincere love and gratitude as we are found by him and welcomed home!

‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ John 14:6

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