My friend Ginger and I will never forget the message we heard several years ago during a church service in Phoenix, Arizona. A big burly ‘don’t mess with me’ kind of man stood up to speak. He was covered with tattoos and looked out of place and very uncomfortable to be up in front of the audience.
He said he’d lived a hard life drinking and doing drugs for years. One day, while driving his Harley Davidson, he saw this Frank Lloyd Wright built church and decided to go in and sit down. He doesn’t remember the message, but he remembers a little elderly lady, clean cut and dressed nice. She walked back to him, shook his hand, looked him in the eyes and welcomed him to church. He wasn’t sober, but her kindness towards him and lack of fear touched something deep inside his heart. He returned to that church off and on for about a year and every time, that little older lady sought him out, shook his hand and told him she was glad to see him. He said many times he was ashamed of the way he looked, smelled and acted, but those things didn’t seem to phase her. Week after week, month after month, she extended unconditional love to him.
In time, he responded to the Bible teaching at the church, accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He also shared how that little lady “adopted” him and his family and was now one of his closest friends. There wasn’t a dry eye in the sanctuary as this big imposing guy called her up front and wept as his frame hugged and enveloped this petite, gentle, sweet lady with purple tipped white hair.
Father God, ONLY YOU can accomplish such a miracle. True and real life change only comes through You and Your Word and it is a process continues until we close our eyes in death. Thank You for that woman who showed Your love to that man. May we who say we believe imitate that sort of love. Amen.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ now lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20