Kootenay
Well-Known Member
TO MEET SUCH A MAN
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant
just
> >>off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both
> >>especially good that day.
> >>
> >>As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street.
There,
> >>walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his
worldly
> >>goods on his back. He was carrying a well-worn sign that read, "I > >>will
> >>work for food." My heart sank.
> >>
> >>I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others
> >>around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a > >>mixture
of
> >>sadness
> >>and disbelief. We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in
my
> >>mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands
to
do
> >>and quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town
square,
> >>looking somewhat half-heartedly for the strange visitor. I was
fearful,
> >>knowing that seeing him again would call for some response. I drove
> >>through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store
and
> >>got back in my car.
> >>
> >>Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back
to
> >>the office until you've at least driven once more around the square."
> >>
> >>Then, with some hesitancy, I
> >>headed back into town. As I turned the square's third corner, I saw
him.
> >>He was standing on the steps of the store front church, going through
his
> >>sack.
> >>
> >>I stopped and looked, feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet
wanting
> >>to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a > >>sign
> >>from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached
the
> >>town's newest visitor.
> >>
> >>"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.
> >>
> >>"Not really," he replied, "just
> >>resting."
> >>
> >>"Have you eaten today?"
> >>
> >>"Oh, I ate something early this morning."
> >>
> >>"Would you like to have lunch with me?"
> >>
> >>"Do you have some work I could do for you?"
> >>
> >>"No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city,
> >>but I would like to take you to lunch."
> >>
> >>"Sure," he replied with a smile.
> >>
> >>As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions.
Where
> >>you headed?"
> >>
> >>"St. Louis."
> >>
> >>"Where you from?"
> >>
> >>"Oh, all over; mostly
> >>Florida."
> >>
> >>"How long have you been walking?"
> >>
> >>"Fourteen years," came the reply.
> >>
> >>I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in > >>the
> >>same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly
beyond
> >>his 38 years. His eyes were dark, yet clear, and he spoke with an
> >>eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket
to
> >>reveal a bright red T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending
Story."
> >>
> >>Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in
> >>life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences.
Fourteen
> >>years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped > >>on
the
> >>beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting
up
a
> >>large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought.
> >>
> >>He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival
services,
> >>and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life over
to
> >>God.
> >>
> >>"Nothing's been the same since," he
> >>said, "I felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some
14
> >>years now."
> >>
> >>"Ever think of stopping?" I asked.
> >>
> >>"Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me. But God > >>has
> >>given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's what's in my sack. I
work
> >>to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads."
> >>
> >>I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a > >>mission
and
> >>lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and
then
> >>I asked:
> >>"What's it like?"
> >>
> >>"What?"
> >>
> >>"To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to > >>show
> >>your sign?"
> >>
> >>"Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make
comments.
> >>Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture
that
> >>certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to
> >>realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's
concepts
> >>of other folks like me."
> >>
> >>My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered > >>his
> >>things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said,
"Come
> >>Ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for > >>you.
For
> >>when I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me
drink,
> >>a stranger and you took me in."
> >>
> >>I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I
> >>asked.
> >>
> >>He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was
not
> >>too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. "I've read
> >>through it 14 times," he said.
> >>
> >>"I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church > >>and
> >>see." I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, > >>and
he
> >>seemed very grateful". Where are you headed from here?" I > >>asked."Well,
I
> >>found this little map on the back of this amusement park coupon."
> >>
> >>"Are you hoping to hire on there for a while?"
> >>
> >>"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that > >>star
> >>right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going
> >>next."
> >>
> >>He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his
> >>mission. I drove him back to the town square where we'd met two hours
> >>earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded
his
> >>things.
> >>
> >>"Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep > >>messages
> >>from folks I meet."
> >>
> >>I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had
touched
> >>my life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse
of
> >>scripture from Jeremiah,
> >>"I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, "plans to > >>prosper
you
> >>and not to harm you; Plans to give you a future and a hope."
> >>
> >>"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just
> >>strangers, but I love you."
> >>
> >>"I know," I said, "I love you, too." "The Lord is good!"
> >>
> >>"Yes, He is."
> >>
> >>"How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I
> >>asked.
> >>
> >>"A long time," he replied.
> >>
> >>And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend
and
> >>I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put > >>his
> >>things on his back, smiled his winning smile, and said, "See you in
the
> >>New Jerusalem."
> >>
> >>"I'll be there!" was my reply.
> >>
> >>He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign
> >>dangling from his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned, and
> >>said, "When you see something that makes you think of me, will you
pray
> >>for me?"
> >>
> >>"You bet," I shouted back, "God bless."
> >>
> >>"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.
> >>
> >>Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold
> >>front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my
car.
> >>As I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them ... a
pair
> >>of well-worn brown work gloves
> >>neatly laid over the length of the handle. I picked them up and
thought
of
> >>my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night > >>without
> >>them.
> >>
> >>Then I remembered his words: "If you see something that makes you
think
of
> >>me, will you pray for me?"
> >>
> >>Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the
> >>world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those > >>two
> >>hours with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. "See you in
the
> >>New Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will ...
> >>
> >>If this story touched you, forward it to a friend! "I shall pass this
way
> >>but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I > >>can
> >>show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."
> >>
> >>My instructions were to send this to people that I wanted God to > >>bless
and
> >>I picked you. Please pass this to people you want to be blessed. And
it's
> >>okay if you don't, nothing bad will happen ...
> >>
> >>This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. Prayer is one
of
> >>the best gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards.
Let's
> >>continue to pray for one another. God bless
> >>and have a wonderful day!
> >>
> >>"Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies
> >>reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and
power.
> >>Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very
moment.
> >>Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is
> >>self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, in > >>Jesus'
> >>precious Name. Amen."
> >>
> >>I sent this on....this story is so touching I felt each of you would
enjoy
> >>it greatly.
> >>
> >>GOD BLESS YOU, MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!
