A True incident
The Life of Raja
Disclaimer: The name of the protagonist has been changed to
protect the privacy of the individual.
“Raja, can you please help me? I don’t have a handful of rice to fill my stomach today”, pleaded my friend. His drooping eyes and famished look moved me to pull out a hundred rupee note from my pocket. “Here, this is what I have got right now” I squeezed the rupee note in his hand. It was a small amount but I knew it would help him survive that day, after all, he was a good man and I was pleased to help. After he left, I rummaged my pocket and took out the other hundred rupee note that was left; out of the two hundred rupee notes my wife had given me. She had stashed it away in the kitchen and that was the only money she had to offer me to buy rice. “What will these hundred bucks fetch me?” I chortled and put the money back to its place. I knew I had done the right thing, for the Bible says in Luke 3:11 "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." I had accepted Christ a year ago and these verses were still fresh in my mind. I wasn’t regretting the alms I gave a while ago but wondering how not to disappoint my wife and my children who were waiting with faith to eat a meal today. Realizing that standing still and thinking would amount to nothing; I decided to go to a shop nearby to see what I could get for the money I had.
Strangely I made a detour to the
shop and I ended up meeting Rajkumar anna, a well-wisher of mine, by the
church. I had been working as a gatekeeper and a Gardner at a church in my
vicinity. I worked not only for the salary I received but out of devout reverence
towards God’s house. Rajkumar anna, a
member of that church, never fails to cheer me up whenever he is around.
Everyone likes his company, I was no exception. When I spotted him I ran to his
side and greeted him animatedly, interrupting his conversation with another man
“How have you been anna? It has been two months since I saw you. This lockdown
is terrible”. “Hey Raja, good to see you I am doing well.” “I come here every
day to clean the campus anna, how can I abandon the church because of lockdown?
But you seem to be busy these days” I questioned. “Nothing like that, I didn’t
want to travel much, that’s why.” He retorted. He lived 8kms away from the
church. Our conversation extended for another ten minutes and then on his request
I retired to get tea for all of us from the tea shack a stone’s throw away. Now
I had totally forgotten why I had come out in the first place, it was such a
joy meeting him.
While I was away the two resumed
their conversation, “I feel like I should get groceries for Raja today” said
Rajkumar anna. “He appears to be deserving, go ahead” the other man encouraged.
Rajkumar anna later told me that while I was chatting with him (before leaving to
get tea), suddenly his mind was engrossed in a peculiar impulse to get groceries
for me. I came back with tea and poured it into three cups. As we were sipping
tea, Rajkumar anna cleared his throat and asked tenderly, “Raja, can I get you
groceries for this month?” the words came like thunderbolts and shook me; I
didn’t bat an eye; I didn’t swallow the tea I just sipped in- for a moment I
froze. My eyes welled up, “Anna God has sent you. I came to buy something for
food today. I had only a hundred rupee note. Until this moment I didn’t realize why I
had taken a detour to the grocery shop, but now I know. God wanted me to meet
you”, I spoke fighting back the tears. He gently tapped me on my shoulders to
make me feel alright. We gulped our tea quickly and left. I never had the
slightest inclination to ask him for help when I met him, in fact, I had totally
forgotten about the whole thing. When anna spoke up, his words startled me.
That staggering feeling never left me until I reached home.
He had got me all the essential grocery
items for a month and a few goodies for my children too. At the billing counter I
requested him reluctantly, “Anna can you get me coffee powder? It has been
months since I tasted coffee” “Oh sure” he
exclaimed and order for the coffee powder to be brought. I came out hauling a
huge bag full of groceries. As we stood at the doorway of the supermarket, I
lifted my hands to heaven and said, “Jesus thank you for hearing me out.
Bless Rajkumar anna, let his family abound with blessings, in Jesus Name, Amen.”
I thanked him dearly and we parted ways.
------------THE END----------
About the protagonist:
Raja is an unassuming simple fellow, who truly follows Christian ideals and loves God. The happiness a thousand dollars would’ve given you and I was the happiness he felt over that bag of groceries (that would last only a month), the thought about next month was never his concern. He prayed for his need to be met for that day and God has met his needs for a month. You and I wouldn’t have praised and thanked God like him for all we have. He lives in a small house, feeding three mouths with his menial job; sometimes he has to face huge battles but his trust in God and childlike heart helps him live happily. He never complains, never gossips, never downcast, and is always thankful to God.
Contemplation:
My dad (who apparently is Rajkumar
anna in the story) shared this incident to me, which had happened sometime in May
2020. As I was listening to him I met a man: with childlike faith, ever
thankful heart, contented mind, sincere attitude, and humble demeanor, who God
wanted me to become. I recollected- How many times have I been discontented
with my life? I have all I need yet at the slightest hint of discomfort I have frowned.
Come little worries and few unanswered prayers, I had pulled a long face on
God. How many times have I thought God has forsaken me, dislikes me, never
listens to me, and is distant to my pains? How many days have I complained to
God about my life and thought it was a waste of praying? This man I had met, through
my dad’s narrative, hit me hard right on the face with the truth. I shouted
with many emotions “this man will be definitely taken in the rapture.” My parents
smiled at me. “We should become like this man” I told them, they gave me an
agreeing nod.
Rend your hearts today before the lord and let him change you.
Make this prayer today:
Lord Jesus, Show me my heart through your eyes. Mend my heart and mind to reflect you. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”( Psalm 139:23-24) In Jesus name, Amen.
Post Script:
God is conscious of all our needs; it might seem as though He is indifferent but not really. If you open your ears and hear to testimonies of this sort, you’ll come to know God truly for who He is and not as the world knows Him. He listens to whispered prayers, deep sighs, and buried tears. He is the God who feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies are you not worth more than they?
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