Fight ya for it!

While preaching last week, I came off the platform to illustrate a point to a man unknown to me sitting in the crowd. I then proceeded to hug him and later found out that he was a Buddhist. He later told his wife that he felt like I hugged him for 10 minutes and he felt the Love of God for the first time in his life. He went home from church collected all his Buddhist idols, gave them to his wife and said I'm a Christian now, please get rid of all of these! I have been told that he was totally transformed... Thanks Jesus! - Chris Gore

     Jesus was crucified for all of us and for each of us.  He showed me something simple yesterday that took me all night to see what He was doing.  I had a conversation recently with a friend who told me she feels her calling is to reach out to the unsaved.  I feel like my calling is to reach out to the person who has been a child of God for years but can't figure out why they aren't growing.  We joked about being fishermen, her hooking them and reeling them in and me cleaning them.  Of course, I'm still in training.
     I was standing behind a man at a convenience store yesterday that I was drawn to.  He was a biker, by the world standards, but by God's standard He was a child worth sacrificing His son.  His back was to me so I didn't see  his face.  He was a big guy with a shaved head, earrings, and tattoos.  I could have put him in a box that society has provided, but I saw him differently.  As I stood behind him I read all of the patches on his vest.  There were a lot of the typical biker patches, but I noticed not one was vulgar.  Then one grabbed my attention and I smiled.  "America - I will fight you for it!"  I loved this, because I feel the same way.  I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.  As he was finishing up his business at the counter, I noticed his legs were shaking.  I wondered if he had a disease that was attacking his nervous system, though it went through my mind that it would be so cool if this trembling was the Holy Spirit's presence.  I didn't feel God was asking me to speak to him, though it did cross my mind to tell him I loved his patch.  When he turned around, our eyes met.  Normally I would have made sure I did not make eye contact.  How sad.  He had the most beautiful eyes.  They twinkled.  There was a softness about this big burly guy with his muscles and goatee.  I felt some kind of connection to him and I wondered if he was a believer or a pre-Christian. 
     What God was showing me is that He will provide a connection.  Maybe I should call it an open door.  I could have easily engaged in conversation with this man just by mentioning his love for our country.  I don't know if God was opening a door for me to walk through as much as He was showing me there was an open door.  He is also showing me that the closer I get to Him the more love I feel for strangers.  The more I want to reach out.  I regret not saying anything to the man, but I know I will be more likely to step out next time.  The first step to introducing Jesus is to introduce ourselves.  (I do have a new person on my prayer list.)

 Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed. ~Robert H. Schuller