It is true that in life, we are given different sets of cards. Some people have been dealt with a good hand, while others have no choice but to play with a bad one.
But no matter what situation you may be in – whether you are on top of the world or on the other side – it is important to remember that everyone is human, thus, we need to treat everyone with as much respect as we would give ourselves. Compassion also goes a long way – we never really know how we impact a person’s life by just being empathetic and kind.
A beautiful act of compassion is exactly what Joey Mustain and his daughter witnessed while they were eating at a fast food chain.
Joey took his daughter to Chick-fil-A, their “normal daddy/daughter spot.” But this visit would be a little more different, as they will be seeing an incredibly kind gesture performed before their own eyes.
While they were inside the fast food chain, a homeless man suddenly walks in, asking the restaurant staff if they had any extra food.
Joey described the man’s appearance:
“Mud was wet and caked on his well-traveled shoes. His hair was matted, and his beard wasn’t a statement as much as it was a necessity and a sign that he doesn’t get to shave as often as most of us do.”
He says that people kept their distance from him, but the man remained kind – speaking to people and smiling while waiting for the manager.
Finally, the manager came out and told the man that he would “love to give him a full, warm meal”, a filling one that is “not just scraps or extras”. However, there was just one thing that the manager required – it’s that the man allows him to pray with him.
The homeless traveler immediately agreed, and right then and there, the manager began praying for him.
Joey posted the whole story on his Facebook. It reads:
“I took Stella to Chick-fil-A today. It’s our normal daddy/daughter spot. It’s clean, so good, and the playground has a tractor beam on her the moment she sees it. When we finished eating and she’d worked up her dessert appetite playing with the other kids, we went back to trade in her toy for ice cream. She wanted to sit at a table to eat the cone (something we usually do in the truck), and I’m so glad she did.
We took a booth right next to the spot where you wait for your drink to be “refreshed,” and we had a front row seat to this beautiful scene: a homeless traveler had walked in and asked if they had any extra food. Mud was wet and caked on his well-traveled shoes. His hair was matted, and his beard wasn’t a statement as much as it was a necessity and a sign that he doesn’t get to shave as often as most of us do. People near him kept their distance, but that didn’t stop him from being kind. He spoke to people who reluctantly spoke back, and he smiled while he waited on a manager.
All I could pick up on of the conversation was the manager saying that he’d love to give him a full, warm meal–not just scraps or extras–, and the only thing he required was that the man let him pray with him. After the homeless man agreed, there was no waiting for things to die down, there was no scooting anyone to the side. As busy as they were, the manager stopped then and there, laid his hand on the man, and proceeded to pray. I heard love in that prayer. The homeless man wasn’t some untouchable stain on business. He was the reason that store opened its doors this morning (or any morning).
I asked Stella to watch and she stared. She asked what was happening and when I told her, she bowed her head, too. I realized then and there that Chick-fil-A doesn’t simply do business for profits, they truly use business to minister. In a time when companies are trying to win in the market by neutralizing any possibility of offense, CFA is thriving because they unwaveringly cling to their principles and purpose. I love teaching my daughter life lessons, and I also love being there to watch other Christians teach her life lessons. Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for taking care of the latter today.”
As a manager of a food establishment, he could have easily told the homeless man to get out for “sanitary” reasons. But he did the exact opposite – he gave this man what he needed and prayed for him not just as a fellow brother, but also as a fellow human being.
It’s stories like this that brings our faith back in humanity. Kudos to the Chick-fil-A manager for being compassionate and for showing the homeless man that no matter how hard life is for him, there are people out there who are willing to help.
Share this heartwarming story.