Four Questions It was a normal fall day, similar to many before it. I drove to school after stopping at Starbucks for my winter usual: a Venti Vanilla Chai Tea. Back at school, I slid into my favorite parking spot: not too far that I was in danger on days with weather predicaments and not too close that I missed out on my contemplation of life thoughts as I walked from the parking lot to the school building. On this day, there was a blue Toyota Corolla parked next to me instead of the grey Volkswagen that was normally there. The owner of the Toyota stepped out of his car at the same time I stepped out of mine. I nodded my head with a polite “Hello,” and walked towards the school thinking about where I was going in life. An intruding voice interrupted my deep thoughts. “Hi, my name is Jeff.” “Savannah,” I said casually, hiding my irritation at his disruption. “It’s cold today. Do you want my jacket?” he asked. I took a moment to notice what I was wearing: a dark purple shirt, ivory scarf, black leggings, and Ugg boots. “No, thank you,” I told him despite the thinness of my attire; I wasn’t going to accept a jacket from a stranger. “Okay,” he said. “Can I ask you four questions?” I wasn’t going to shoo him away, so I said yes. “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your life?” Where on earth was this coming from? Who just randomly asks a stranger a question like that? I hesitated. “A seven, I guess.” “What makes it a seven?” Now I need a reason my life is a seven? “Well, my family is healthy. I have good grades. I have good friendships.” “If God was in your life, would the number go up or down?” he asked, just as the bell rung and I had to run into my classroom. I had to think about this question until I would see him again and I could give him my answer. “If God was in your life, would the number go up or down?” His question rang in my ears as I took my Chemistry test. His voice wasn’t that annoying. It was kind of sweet and pleasant; deep, but it sounded almost like soothing music. I shook my head. No way was I going to let this stranger weasel his way into my thoughts. I would answer his questions and then I would stop thinking about him. I formulated my answer to his question three periods later in my day. By the conclusion of eighth period, I still hadn’t seen him since my haste departure this morning, which was strange because our school wasn’t that big. I walked to my car, and there he was waiting for me with his backpack slung over one shoulder and a charming smile on his face. Wait no. I stopped. That smile was arrogant, as if he knew I had been searching for him all day. “I decided that my number probably would go up if I had God in my life. He’s supposed to help people, not hurt them, so yeah,” I told him as I unlocked my car and stepped inside. I shut the door and he frowned. He tapped on the glass of my window and I rolled it down. “I still get to ask you one more question,” he pouted. “Follow me in your car to Starbucks and I’ll answer your last question; I’m hungry and cold.” “Alright,” he said as he straightened up from his leaning stance and got inside his car. I started my car and drove to the Starbucks with a smile on my face, thinking about how upset he was that I would leave without answering his last question. This made me wonder why Jeff, who I have never seen before, was so enthusiastic about his questions and so curious about my answers. I’ll just have to ask him, I decided as I parked in the Starbucks parking lot. We both got our drinks and a snack and sat down at one of the tables. “My last question is: if you were standing before God right now, and he asked you why he should let you into Heaven, what would you say?” Wow. What the freak? Where did that come from? I had never thought about what I would say if I ever saw God. “I guess I would tell him, that I know he’s a loving God, which means he loves me, even though I probably don’t deserve it. I really shouldn’t be let into Heaven because I haven’t believed in him until now, but I hope his love for me will let me in,” I answered. “Your answer is perfect,” Jeff said to me. “God is a loving god and he does love you. None of us, as people, deserve it, but He is gracious.” I felt a tear slip down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. “Thank you for your questions,” I said. “Can I ask you something? Why were you so determined to ask me these questions and why did you care so much about my answers?” “I asked you them because you were the first person I saw this morning. God makes my life a 10 and I wanted to make you think differently about God. I wanted to share the joy I have with you. And I want to be your friend. Thank you for answering my questions.” He smiled a perfect smile. “You know, my church has a teen meeting on Wednesday nights, I would love if you could come.” “Yeah, I think I will. Thank you for caring enough to share those questions with me.” We exchanged phone numbers and kept talking about how God sees me as precious because he created me and how he loves me no matter what I do. Who knew an average day in a normal life could turn out so extraordinary simply because a stranger wanted to talk to me about what makes him happy?