“Look, I’m not hurting anything. I just want to sit here and rest,” he said. To his right my church had a sign that stated, “No Loitering”
“It’s okay,” I replied in a gentle voice.
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I went and got him a sack of food we keep for such occasions, and some water.
“Here ya go.”
“Thank you.”
“Your welcome. You mind if I hang out with you for a while?”
“Suit yourself,” he said as the sack crinkled while he checked out the food.
“What’s your name?”
“John,” he replied. His eyes, piercing, as if searching my soul.
The small talk started. It became clear he was a philosopher who didn’t have a place to hang his diploma. He also had a sense of humor. He shared he had made a mistake with his wife and kids, and she wasn’t willing to forgive. I felt that was my que to talk about God’s forgiveness. I tried hard to get him to come inside and sit in on the church service.
“I stink,” he kept saying.
“I assure you John, no one inside will care.” He was right about the odor too, but he insisted on attending the church service there on the sidewalk.
We talked for another 30 minutes or so. Before I left I offered to pray with him.
“You can do that in private, but not in front of me,” he said.
I didn’t understand, but respected his wishes. I’ve looked, but have never seen John again. Though thought of him often, I have prayed for him even more. I regretted not taking him to a restaurant to get something hot to eat. I also wish I had been brave enough to invite him to my house. He could have showered, I could have washed his clothes, and he could have slept on a soft, warm surface, even if for one night. I have consoled myself with knowing I did something, but I know I could have done more. Perhaps next time I will.
Since I have never seen an episode of “Bridge Hunters” on HGTV he replied, “One that has a flat surface to sleep on, and that isn’t facing into the wind.
Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved
Check it out: God never intended heaven to be served from earth. heartland church
At the age of seven, I knew I was a convicted cookie thief! I went to a church, where the anointed man of God, my pastor, scared the hell out of me! He preached straight up sermons concerning what would happen if we died and had not accepted Jesus to forgive us of our sins. As a result, out of fear of going to hell, I choose God, and heaven.
There are things, that go on in this world, I do not understand. I ask questions like, “Why”, and “How?” There are also things of God I do not understand, but I never used to question Him. To be honest, I felt as if it showed a lack of faith. So I have grown in my relationship with God just believing, and trusting, and knowing, “He’s got this!” And in some ways that is good. I relied on the following verses whenever I couldn’t understand or know what God was doing in my life, or in other’s lives around me:
A man wondered into the church. He was hungry. He was given a sack lunch. The man was also deaf, but could read. He understood two people in the church wanted to pray for his hearing, and he let them. Then he shared his car was almost out of gas and he wouldn’t be able to get to work the next day. One of the two went with him and filled up his car. He shared while pumping the gas, God spoke to him and said, “Full Service.” He knew what God meant, but to help him remember, he washed the windshield as well.
You might be asking, “How would I know?”
According to our government’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food packages have to list the ingredients, but in a particular order. Here is the rule:
The list, could go on. The truth is, these individuals need Jesus. Most do not think to turn to him, because they can’t see him, but they can see you. In a time, when our world is in so much pain, those who know Jesus, and has the hope he provides, needs to answer the call of duty.
Would you recognize LOVE if you saw it? Are you sure?
brady, mark a. 