When I was twelve years old, I lost my innocence to a fourteen year old boy, and I thought I had found love. This happened on a weekend night. That following Monday at school, he acted as if I didn’t exist…looked past me…flat out ignored me. It broke my heart. Maybe that’s why it’s always been important for me to look people in the eyes, to let them know I “see” them. This is still true for me today. 

I work downtown, and if I take a certain route home, I will, most likely, pass a homeless man at one of the corners, hoping to collect change. Today was no different, but this time, the homeless man was talking to the people driving by, but they weren’t responding: windows were rolled up, heads looked straight ahead, yet this man was still talking to them…almost looking crazy. Immediately, I started praying.

At this particular light, it was stop-and-go traffic. As they head toward the freeway, one turning lane feeds into another. In my prayer, I took authority over the enemy, and as I approached the corner, I rolled down my window and looked right into the homeless man’s eyes. He looked surprised.

He said, “Do you have a penny? Will you give me a penny, so I can leave this corner? People are so disrespectful!” I grabbed some change in my purse and asked him his name. He said, “Brian” and took the change. Then he said, “You are fine!” I laughed and told him, “Jesus loves you!” He said, “I know and so does Mary” and walked away.

As I turned the corner, I saw him walking and talking to himself, looking crazy. With my hand waving out the window, I yelled out, “Bye, Brian!” He was all excited, waving, and yelled back, “Bye! Holler at me whenever you see me! What’s your name?” I yelled back, “Laura!” Then, he called me by name and waved.

And then it hit me: he was so excited that I called out his name. He just wanted to be known. He wanted to be looked at. He wanted to be seen, acknowledged, greeted. I wonder how many people look past him, pretend he doesn’t exist. I wonder if God had done that to us. Where would we be?

Right then, the part of a worship song came on about being chosen. I was undone…weeping…driving through tears…so thankful that God loves us and calls us by name, and God loves Brian and is calling his name. I hope to see Brian again to tell him how God knows his name.

I love making friends with people, remembering their names, revealing their value, and spreading God’s heart all over the place. God is so Good, and I’m so excited to live another day!!