Sunday, December 25, 2005
When God's Messenger Came to My Door
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We all, however, have the opportunity to do what Penny did for me.
When we see someone in despair or in need, we can act as Christ’s personal representative.
You may not even know you are doing it.
Consider this:
My 51-year old carpenter Mark, who had been a minister in a previous life, just died after a four-month battle with a very rare, usually childhood cancer. We told a friend of ours that Mark had not quite finished what he had started before he had his first operation and was put out of commission physically.
Into my life last month steps a replacement carpenter. B.B. tells me he has met me before.
B.B. was in the Lake Forest train station on a Sunday in January of 1984. He heard the phone ring in the empty station. The person calling asked for me. He didn’t see anyone until he looked out into the parking lot. There I was with someone else.
Why was I there?
While visiting my daughter Alexandra at my ex-in-laws’ home, someone had loosened my lug nuts. The car wobbled so much that I stopped at the train station to call for help. I had also called my parents and left a message. After they came home from church they returned the call B.B. answered.
B.B. said he was having legal problems. I referred him to a attorney, a former legislative colleague in Waukegan (Ron Griesheimer) and gave him my card. While at the attorney’s, the lawyer sat back and asked B.B., “Have you ever considered returning to your Christian roots?”
The Bible says that each of us has a role to play. I never mentioned God in my conversation with B.B., but God still used me to help transform B.B. into the Christian father he is today.
I didn’t even remember talking to B.B., although other events of the day are etched in my memory.
The point of this story is that all of us affect other people every day. We can choose to be kind or decide to be dismissive. Even when we are not trying to be priests—and even before we know we are priests—we have the opportunity to play that role.
Even when we don’t try, we can make Christ real to someone. We can share His grace so others may know God’s salvation.
That is our personal, shared and non-transferable mission—your mission possible.
It may take the form of the touch of a hand on the shoulder of someone in pain, the company of a friend or an offer of help on the highway--just a part of ordinary life.
Wherever you are in life, whatever you do for a living, you can serve the Lord.
The reward may not come in this life. With J. J., it did. After he finished the job, he said, “Thank you for my life,” as we hugged.
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Let me tell you, that was a humbling experience.
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The following advice about Christmas presents for kids is a bit too late for this year, but they are appropriate for birthdays, Easter or other occasions.
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While taking him to and from school, we now play a CD called “Jonah’s Overboard Sing-Along.” We have played all of the CD’s one year or another.
When the young child in your life memorizes Micah 6:8’s “act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God” message, I hope it sends a thrill up your spine like it did mine.
Focus on the Family has the wonderful “Odyssey” series of tapes, videos and CD’s. They are excellent to play while on trips, even around town. My son is now into the “Last Chance Detectives,” both the CD’s and the DVD’s.
My prayer is that your service in Christ’s name will not be in as gut-wrenching a situation as Penny’s—the loss of a child still not found over 20 years later.
It may be an opportunity you will know when you see it and you will know you can accomplish…with the help of Jesus…even though you may be a bit hesitant to do it.
On the other hand, it may be as painless as mine with B.B. You may not even know you are serving Christ when you offer a stranger advice.
De Colores!
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