Sacred Snippet: Tootsie Pops

I love how God can take the simple things in life and turn them into a blessing.

This morning I stopped at CVS with the intent to purchase only some computer paper. However, I decided to check out the candy row to see if they had a bag of Tootsie Pops. I had searched two other stores previously to no avail. Lo and behold, I discovered CVS had my favorite low-calorie candy—three points per pop for those who know what I mean! ¹

As mostly what happens to us all, we go into a store with good intents and come out with more. I even added some colorful Post-it Page Markers to my other two items. As I left the drug store, I hit the red light under Houston’s Katy Freeway. There I saw a young man. His legs were so skinny—like they were diseased. All I had to give him was a Tootsie Pop. I cannot say I was extremely generous by giving him the entire bag, but I wanted to give him something sweet to eat. I wrestled opening the bag; finally, I had to use my teeth to open the bag. Not cool, but I was afraid the light was going to turn green.

Once the bag was open, I reached in and started to pull out an orange and red pop, but then stopped. It was like the Lord said, “Give him your best.” God knew that red and orange were not my favorites, but chocolate and purple were. So, I quickly reached in, opened my window, and gave him a chocolate and purple Tootsie Pop. It might not seem like a big sacrifice, but when you understand the last two bags of Tootsie Pops I bought had no purples in them, you can understand my “sacrifice” a little better.

Now, here is the best part. I handed this young man the two pops. He saw them and gave me a big old grin through his crooked yellow teeth, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “thank you.” Yes, it was a small gesture on my part, but it started me out on the right foot and started his day out with a little sweetness too!

4 thoughts on “Sacred Snippet: Tootsie Pops”

  1. Heh heh Patti… very cute. Yes, I recognized “points” immediately, since back in 2000 Sonja and I explored Weight Watchers together… even got some great recipes from there, like how to cook flank steak.

    When we still lived in Houston I used to go to Walgreens and score incredible deals on toothpaste and other personal care products. I had so many items left over that I decided to put them in bags and give them out to people under freeway off-ramps, like your friend here. On the outside of each bag, I put:

    Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

    — Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

    By the way, the phrase is “LO and behold”.

    And… shouldn’t your bio at the end here now say SIX grandchildren?

    I know. Those editors are so darn picky! 🙂

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