Everyone likes the idea of angels. Heavenly beings, flitting around, watching over us. There have been TV shows about angels. These shows didn’t talk about Christ not did they mention God very much, but they were all about angels. You can collect them, wear angel pins, read books about angels, and watch movies about angels. It seems that they are everywhere these days. Lots of money is made in the business of angels. The thought of these heavenly creatures give us comfort and peace. It is too bad that the world’s current understanding of angels is largely not Biblical.

          For instance, not all angels have wings. In fact, in Scripture wings are the exception rather than the rule. Most of the angels we see in Scripture are wingless. Often the angels are mistaken to be human. The idea of flaming angelic swords held by soaring creatures bathed in heavenly light is mostly false.

          Actual angels are beings that can eat, walk, speak, sing and do all the things you and I can do. Of course, they can also do much more than we can do. They can appear and disappear, they can influence our actions and they can come into the physical presence of the Lord.

          The purpose of angels seems to be to give praise to God and to act as messengers between God and men. The word actually means “messenger,” although the way of delivering messages may be varied.

          The Bible tells us to be careful how we treat strangers because we may actually be dealing with angels. Maybe you meet someone who touches your life in some special way. While you are in contact with that person you never witness them in the act of sin, but that doesn’t even occur to you till later. They may seem to have some sort of wisdom that is beyond yours, but there is no arrogance in that wisdom. Or, it may be just a quick contact that you never think of again.

          That kind of a visitation may have occurred in my life. I cannot recall a time when I dealt with somebody who had that unusual wisdom and who really touched me, yet was only in my life for a very short while. I have had, however, momentary encounters with people that have left me uplifted but strangely baffled.

          One such event occurred while living in Miami, Florida. One very hot day I drove through the drive-up at a fast food restaurant and got my meal. A large mall was nearby so I drove over to park in their parking lot and eat while I read. It was a huge parking lot and, at noon on a Tuesday, was mostly empty. I found a spot that seemed to be a half mile from the nearest car and parked my pick-up. I left it running with the windows up so I could keep the air conditioner on and then settled back to read my book and enjoy my burger and fries. 

          I had read every bit of two paragraphs when there was a sharp rap at my window. It startled me so much that I started to yell at the person who had ruined my solitude. However, when I turned to see who it was I was met by the steady gaze of a wizened up little old man dressed in a heavy coat and looking like he needed a shave and a good meal. He looked like many of Miami’s homeless. The heavy coat was to store all their earthly belongings and to provide padding when they lay down at night. It is a sad story that is repeated over and over in America’s cities.

          Anyway, I rolled the window down and asked the gentleman what it was he wanted. All he wanted, he said, was a dollar so he could go back to the same fast food place I had been at and get a coffee and some fries. (This was a long time ago, if a dollar could buy coffee and fries.) I felt bad for him, so I gave him a five dollar bill and told him to get a meal. At that time he could eat Two meals on that five dollars. He thanked me several times and held the bill up like it was prize. He smiled a big, toothless smile, said thank you again and set off in the general direction of the restaurant.

          I had just rolled my window up when I thought about the long walk to the restaurant. It was a long, long way to the next car. The fast food restaurant was even further. There was absolutely nothing around, not even a tree, for a long distance. The old guy would have to walk a pretty good piece under a brutal sun dressed in a heavy coat. Giving him a ride and getting back to my spot would take all of about five minutes. I jumped out of the truck to call to the man and tell him I would run him over to get something to eat.

          He was gone. He hadn’t had the time to get much farther than my tailgate, but he was gone. It was just as though he had never existed. I looked in the bed of the truck to see if he had crawled in there. I dropped to my belly and looked under the truck to see if he had fallen and rolled under. I jumped into the bed of the truck for a higher view and looked around. Nothing. He was gone.

          There was no where he could have gone, but he was most definitely gone. I even pulled my money out of my wallet to see if I was five dollars short. (That may sound weird to you, but I am one of those people who knows how much money I have at all times and all of it faces the same way. The twenties come first followed by the tens and fives and ones. Come to think of it, that sounds weird to me.) I was short the five dollars, so I knew I had given it to the man. Everything had happened just as I remembered it, only now the man was gone.

          I have told that story many times and someone always has an explanation. Alien abduction is my favorite. Some have said that I fell asleep and didn’t realize it. Others say that we all lose track of time occasionally. But I was there and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was just an instant. So where did he go?

          Home, I suppose. I think he just went home.

          Blessings to you all.