God’s Angels

Fourth Sunday in Lent; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

The son was so hungry that he could have eaten the husks that were fodder for the pigs, but no one made a move to give him anything.

Being poor is no fun. And I’m not even talking about abject poverty, where you literally have nothing. That’s really bad and scary. But even if someone is “working poor”, they are always looking over their shoulder wondering what’s coming next. Let me tell you a story.

Once upon time, in a world not so long ago, lived a young girl. She was smart and industrious and well liked. She had a job, but it did not pay much. Her parents, who loved her very much, had moved out of state due to a change in her father’s job. This girl lived on her own and did her very best to make ends meet. It was very hard and seldom did she have extra cash for fun things. For entertainment, she would frequently take herself to a local shopping mall. She would just walk up and down the aisles looking at the various store displays. She did not dare buy anything, and truthfully, even if she had wanted to, she did not have any money in her purse.

One week, she sat at her kitchen table and looked at all her bills that were due. One by one, she paid a bill, and looked to see how much was left. Then she paid another. Somehow, she managed to pay all of the bills that were due. And then she looked at how much was left, and she lowered her head. There was not enough for groceries or gas for her car or for anything else that week. She sat there for a few minutes and then got up and walked to the front door. She opened the door and looked out at the night sky only to see a beautiful full moon. She stared at that moon for quite a while, not saying anything. Then she stepped out onto the porch.

Borrowing a line from an old movie, she shook her fist and yelled out at the moon, “I will never be hungry again!” Something had snapped in her. Not in an evil way. Quite the contrary. Somewhere, deep in her soul, she vowed that she would find a new way forward to provide better for herself. At that moment, she had no idea what she was going to do, but she knew that her life was going to change. But first, she had to get through the week with no groceries.

She looked at the clock and realized she was late for a weekly gathering of friends. It didn’t cost anything, so she decided to go. She enjoyed herself, and none of her friends suspected the dire financial straits she was in. At last, she drove herself home. When she approached her front door, she noticed an envelope pinned to the wooden door. There was no name on the outside of the envelope, nor was there any note on the inside. What she found in the envelope was a one-hundred-dollar bill. She looked around, but no one was in sight. She had no clue as to who might have done this. But she was so grateful. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she unlocked her door and went inside to have a good night’s sleep.

The young “prodigal” son had a life that was even worse than this young girl. We know the story and can feel his angst and sorrow. We cheer him on as he makes his way home to his father (and presumably mother) with repentance in his heart. And we nod our heads knowingly when his father joyously welcomes home his wayward son.

But not all stories of wayward sons or daughters end that way. Nor do they begin the way this story started off. Everyone’s story is unique. What is constant is the mercy of God. Some parents are forced with “tough-love” situations. Some people, like the girl in our story, have to find a way on her own. And, yes, some situations seem like fairy tales with fairy dust over everybody. But what is constant with all these situations is the mercy of God.

God does not have a “smite” button his golden keyboard in heaven looking for an opportunity to zap someone with vengeance. The reality is that God looks for every opportunity to send an angel to assist a person get through a situation that is impossible on their own. Sometimes those angels are heavenly beings. Sometimes they are flesh and blood people with kind hearts.

Jesus tries to show the Pharisees, the scribes, and all of us that everyone makes poor choices when guided by a flawed understanding of life’s true priorities. I am truly blessed when I have a merciful figure, whether as a parent, spouse, friend, or companion, who is willing to reconcile, let go of the past, and continue the journey with me. I think that’s part of being an angel of God.

I need to look for those opportunities to be one of God’s angels. Often it will be right there in front of me. Someone who doesn’t even look like they are hurting, but needs an encouraging word, a hug, or twenty bucks. Other times, the pain will be obvious, and I need to be gentle in how I respond. Maybe it’s just offering assistance to someone making their way home. There are so many ways I can serve God and be an angel to someone. I just need to look for the chance and grab it.

Every Day.

PS: The girl? She turned out better than she ever dreamed possible.

© 2025 by Timothy J. Doppel

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