The Story I promised . . . (sorry)

For all six of my faithful readers, please accept my most humble apologies for not finishing my story when I said I would. (Parents, I messed up so many times by promising my kids time with them and then not following through - learn from my screw-ups, OK!). Woe, I wrote this and left it in draft mode for the last several seasons . . . years? This is beyond saying I'm sorry. Does it make sense to say, "We've been really busy"? Anyway here's the story and we'll see how much I improve at blogging on a regular basis.

Mike Miller was our guest speaker at Living Hope several weekends ago, and I smiled when the key passage he choose was Romans 8:28 - EVERYTHING works out for good for those who are linked up with Jesus! How well I know that! I had just blogged about it two days before . . . funny how God links us up to each other.

Here's the story: (Want to read my set-up blog? Check it out: "sitting on the throne" intro.) My difficult start with preaching via my cell phone to a large number of people in India, was offset by a story that God brought back to my mind; I call it "the Bird Lady Story."

My oldest boy, Gordon, was about three and a half and loved to go to the gym with me. It was a gorgeous day, sunshine, and absolutely perfect! As I drove past the golf course it called out wonderful promises to me. I had the stereo turned up and my custom Z28 was sounding fine . . . Oh what a wonderful life!

After the workout at the gym (Gordon worked out hard in the daycare) we were walking across the parking lot and were just crossing through an alley when Gordon let go of my hand and started running. He was so cute. So full of energy. Then I saw her; "Oh no!" I thought, I knew exactly what Gordon was up to -He was running to greet "The Bird Lady."

Ok, just hang on for a moment. I'm fully aware that my labeling of this person was cold, yes, even mean. It's totally fine for you to judge me, but please DO remember how easy it is to judge otheres without even consciously thinking about how harmful it is. Living in the bliss of ignorance doesn't make us once ounce less responsible. The scary thing is how easily we can do it while playing brain dead.

I had seen this woman once before. The lady was anorexic, with shoulders that hung down as if almost all the life was gone from her. If I had taken time to really let my heart recognize her, my heart could have cried out for someone who had so little hope. Her unwashed hair covered her entire face except for that huge beak-like nose. She walked as if she was an extra in the cult classic "Night of the Living Dead." And here was my innocent little boy running towards her.

I began to call out after my son, "Come here son. Daddy's in a hurry, come here." But the truth was that this preacher-dude was very uncomfortable. I felt uneasy around this person who appeared to be so messed up. Gordon didn't listen (at least to me), but began to jump around this shuffling shell; he was leaping all around her, and with warm laughter in his voice crying out, "Hello! Hello! Hello! My name is Gordon. How are you? What's your name? Hello, hello . . ." His merry little dance with this new, potential friend never lost its intensity. In the eyes of this uninfected boy, this lady was just like any other person, as beautiful as all other humans.

I eventually grasped Gordon's arm and pulled him towards the Z. The entire time Gordon was waving and shouting to his newly discovered friend, "Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye!" I'm so glad God reminded me of this story! I remember the beat-down, rejected, nameless child of our Creator lifting her head just an inch. For one second there was a connection with my son. Then her head returned to it's defeated stance and she continued on as if we didn't exist.

My worship of being safe, in my comfort zone, detached from what I viewed as ugly and messy, had so imprisoned me that only later that day did I hear what God's Spirit had been saying to me all along. God had to use one of his most powerful agents to open my eyes - the heart of a little child!

The entire mess of not being ready to preach in India let me to cry out to God. He brought back one of my most cherished stories. I was a preacher, but not in a light that reflected God's love. I find so much joy in viewing others as GOD'S KIDS. Some will say that until you accept God's love into your life you are not one of His children. From our perspective I agree. A relationship of friendship is always a number greater than one. But from God's perfect perspective He views ALL OF US as His kids! We may be kids who don't know who our Heavenly Father is; we can be rebellious kids in denial. We can be brain dead to the reality that the Creator of the Universe chose us and loved us long before He even created our planet! He had chosen us in His Eternal Heart before time even existed. The Bible says that God considers us His even when we hated him and are in a non-existent relationship with him (check out the verses please)!

The more I believe God will never fall out of love with me the more I allow Him to remove the fear that keeps me from loving everyone and seeing everyone for the true beauty that no one can remove from their hearts. God HAS already planted eternity in every one of our hearts!

Please take a moment to think about my son. The love God put in his heart for that lonely child of his and the promise of love made to everyone of us! It's what Christmas is all about - The free gift of love!