Angel from Heaven? Or bum?

Do you believe in angels? Have you ever seen one? I may have...

Read on......decide for yourself!

Shortly after the separation from my husband, I moved back to my home state of New York. I secured a job at a commercial bakery, working 3rd shift.

One night, Old Man Winter decided to show his stuff. The wind was whipping around so hard that the snow  looked like a swirling, whirling tornado. The howling was deafening. The road surface was slick, and the normally 3-lane highway was reduced down to just one.

Slowly but steadily, I plowed forth, all the while praying, "Please Lord, help me to see. Please Lord, help me to see..."

I had been looking for something, anything to help make my crazy life make sense. Kelly, a  friend at work,  had told me about a church that he and his wife started attending.

The next Sunday, I tried it. I loved it! It was kid friendly, had a fantastic worship team and a wonderful, humorous pastor. They had taught me to pray for what I needed in life and at that moment, I needed good vision!

Suddenly, through the dizzying snow a dark figure emerged. It looked like an alien walking down the middle of the highway! I felt as if I were in a sci-fi movie.

I swerved to avoid hitting the "thing". Hitting a patch of ice, my car skidded into a snowbank. The hood of the car was submerged in snow up to the windshield.

A kindly gentleman stopped to make sure I was alright. When I questioned him about the figure in the road, he said it was a man! We were both mystified! Why would a man be walking down an interstate in the middle of a snowstorm?

Out of nowhere a police officer stopped by. We explained the situation, and the officer took off to look for the man. He returned a few minutes later with the man.

The officer pulled me aside and told me the fellow was homeless- a bum were his words....Apparently this was not the first time this man had almost been hit.

The officer asked the bum to get in the front seat and asked if I'd mind hopping in the back while he made out my report.

I felt very strange- I had never been inside a police car before. I kept thinking everyone going by would would think I was being arrested!

The bum sat silently, content in his own little world. He stared straight ahead as the officer gave his speach about the dangers of walking down the middle of the highway.

Although the bum never looked my way, I had a strange feeling.....there was a sense of peace and calm about him.

As the officers voice droned on, my mind turned to the subject of Sunday's sermon. The message was to be kind to strangers- invite them into your home for a meal. Apparently, they may be angels send from above.

I kept getting the feeling this bum was in the middle of the road for something- maybe he was an angel and this was a test. Perhaps I was supposed to tell him about Jesus' love for us.

I could almost feel a tug-o-war... Jesus saying, "Tell him, tell him..." and Satan saying, "Shhhh....you'll sound like a Jesus freak."

My mouth wanted to speak the joy of the Lord, but my mind wouldn't let it. I kept my peace and said nothing.

Just as the officer was finishing up my report, the tow truck arrived. My car was removed from the snowbank and deemed ok to drive.

I was late to work, but everyone was happy I was ok. When I recounted the incident to Kelly, he said, "Do you think he was an angel sent from GOD? Did you witness to him?"

When Kelly said that, I almost fell to the floor. He said exactly what I had been thinking while sitting in the back of that police car.

Over the years, I have often wondered about that man walking down the middle of the road. Was he an angel sent from heaven...or just a bum wandering around in his own little world?

And the most burning question ...did I fail the test?