Salt and Light

A.J. the Shoe Shine Man

My friend Wayne Goodall shared this story in a recent article. It touched my heart and I pray it touches yours. "When transferring through the Denver airport, I had some time before my next flight. My shoes were new and needed a shine, and over the years, I’ve periodically used the services and skill of those who do this at the airport. When I have time to stop, I really enjoy talking to these people, because they have interesting lives. The gentleman who was available this last time was quite old. As I waited my turn, I noticed that many of the business people who walked by said, “Hi A.J.!” and he, in turn, greeted many of them by name.  
As I sat in his chair, he asked me how much time I had before my next flight. 
“Lots of time — just over an hour,” I answered.
He began to ask me questions about what I did, my family, and my opinion of the Denver Broncos.  I briefly answered him, but something about him really interested me. His dark eyes had a sincere, honest, friendly look.
I began asking him questions about his family, his job, and the interesting people he‘d met. I soon discovered that he had an amount of wisdom and knowledge that is difficult for many to attain. 
A.J. has an eighth grade education, and most of his career has been spent shining shoes — 12 hours a day/six days a week. His schedule has changed a bit recently, because he’s getting old.  He has a full life that includes working long hours. 
He and his wife have been married a long time and have seven children — one of whom is from Ethiopia. He first met that son (when the boy was 11 years old) at the funeral of a friend . . . the boy’s father.  When leaving the funeral, he saw the boy sobbing because he no longer had any parents. A.J. went to him, put his arms around him, and held him. The boy asked A.J. if he would be his father — so he adopted him. 
A.J. said, “I told my Ethiopian son when he first came into our home, 'We have a rule in this house — everyone gets a college education. Do you understand our rule?'”
The young man said, “Yes, sir.”
All of A.J.’s children have finished their college degrees, except the Ethiopian son and one other, because they are still in college.
I said, “You have done such a good job with raising your children. Tell me how you did it.” 
A.J. began spilling out short sentences that were full of wisdom. Each statement hit a bull’s eye of truth — and though he only had an eighth grade education, he was wise . . . even brilliant. I began taking notes as he just talked and worked hard on my shoes.

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Some of A.J.’s wisdom:

• “Kids crave love like a junkie craves drugs — keep loving them no matter what.”
• “We choose our behavior, words, and attitude, and have the choice to hold on to painful memories or let ‘em go.”
• “Get over people that treat you bad. We shouldn’t give our good energy to these kinds of people. We don’t stoop to the level of those who abuse us.”
• “My mother-in-law is in her late 80s. Understand that she grew up in Mississippi, and during those times it was tough. She is still angry, and I try to tell her to put it behind her — don’t waste energy on past pain.”
• “My mother and father were poor and had nothing. Mom cleaned houses. Dad did whatever he could to earn money for the family. I never doubted my father’s love or that he would do anything he could to help me. That memory will always be with me.”
• “A.J., how have you been able to get your children ready for college,” I asked, “and to pay for it?" "Two of my sons were on football scholarships. The others are making it work with the help of the schools and other ways,” he answered.
• “My Ethiopian son is now in college too . . . when I was getting ready to take him to look at a college, I needed to rent a car. One of the people that I shine shoes for is a friend that owns six car dealerships in the Denver area. He even sells Porsches. I was telling him about taking my son to college and renting a car. He said, 'You are hurting my feelings . . . I have six car lots full of cars, and you didn’t tell me you were going to rent a car. Please come to one of my lots, and I’ll loan you a car.' He gave me a wonderful mini-van to drive, and then he handed me $300 in cash to pay for expenses." A.J. said, “All I’d ever been to that man was his friend . . . and did a good job on his shoes. And he did this for me. I couldn’t believe it.”

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Looking back on that conversation makes me grateful for people we meet along life’s journey. They often have wisdom and insights we would never pick up — unless we take the time to listen. A.J. gave me great encouragement that day. He reminded me: 

• Hard work has great rewards such as a sense of achievement, accomplishment, and fulfillment.
• Get your kids the best education you can, and find ways to encourage them along the way as they aim toward their careers or transitions.
• Show them two parents who love them. A.J. has never forgotten his poor parents who did what they could to support their family – while making sure that he knew that they loved him.
• Do the right thing. When facing difficult decisions, do what you feel is right and honest and honoring of God.
• Get over the bad experiences in your past. Focusing on these times will lock you into a rut in life.  Use these bad experiences to help you become a better person.
• Don’t stoop to the level of those who are rude or who hurt you. Focus on looking forward and turn those people over to God.
• Kids crave love like a drug addict craves drugs, so love your children — no matter what.
• Life can be unfair — but we use the unfairness of life to make us better people.

That conversation with A.J. also reminded me of Proverbs 18:24: “A person who has friends — must be friendly” (my paraphrase)."


Who will come into your life today?  Try to listen more than you talk. God could be speaking through someone . . . and you might just hear words that you need to be Salt and Light!