Ever go somewhere often, and see the same people time after time, and wonder about them?

I’m a Panera fan. Every saturday morning I’m in town, with nothing to do around 7am….you’ll find me at Panera with a cup of great coffee and a book. Sometimes someone will meet up with me there, but not usually by appointment. They just know I can be found there. I love it. And if no one shows, I have my book and my coffee, and it’s grand.

I see the same people, week after week. They see me. I wonder who their families are. What their jobs are. Who they hang with. What they do in life. I usually find a moment, and sometimes the entire morning, and ask for God to allow me to see them as He sees them.

Love.

For that moment, whether by my own imagination or by God’s complete divine intervention, I’m filled with love for these people, men, women, children, old, young, whatever….the Love of God for them. A love that kinda wants to go up to them and give them a huge hug, and see how they’re doing; but even deeper this love leads me to pray for them. Not knowing their families, their lives, their jobs, their worries, their fears, etc…but knowing each of these things exist for each person….I pray. I don’t get down on my knees and sacrifice a bagel in their name. But I watch them….I pray for them….I imagine a bucket of love being poured over their head.

I recommend this activity to anyone, really….it’s a great experience. If you find it hard to just “love” the people, then try working the other direction. Pray for them first. And in genuinely praying for those people, you will find yourself loving them with God’s love.

And so I wonder. What do people wonder about me? Do they wonder? The guy who’s kinda quiet….comes in with a book….sits off by himself and reads. Sometimes someone will meet up with him. That person may be a teenager in street garb, or a business-looking man in suit and tie. Or he might just sit quietly and enjoy his book, looking up occasionally to people-watch. Who is he?

Do they wonder?

How long will the routine be kept before someone outside of my usual social realm will approach me simply for the sake of knowing more about me?

Or will I break the routine to find out more of someone else?

Man, I love people.