Mark 5:30.
We see this story in which one action from Jesus changed the trajectory of a woman’s life. With a leap of faith this woman, who has been suffering for 12years, finds herself healed. Her step of faith is indeed beautiful, but there is something even more fascinating about Mark’s account. but He turned around.
We’re often told to “live like Jesus did” and “love like Jesus loved.” But somehow stories, like the one we find in Mark 5, seem to quickly fade from our minds as we go on about our day. God calls us to listen to those the world seems to hide behind a curtain. And thankfully, God has been teaching me about the importance of those deemed “unimportant.”
Backtrack to South Africa: the 18 of us living together were heading towards ministry, an after school program. Having left a little later than normal, quick steps were inevitable to catch our van in order to arrive on time. This one man, Paul, stood near a post and was attempting to speak to us. But, due to our hasty steps, Paul was overlooked. Thankfully, God caught me and my friends attention and we stopped to hear Paul. He was speaking about a woman we had helped the day before and how she was at a hospital taken care of. He proceeded to tell us part of his story. Of how he was a pastor, but somehow backslided into an apathetic life in the streets. After that my bestfriend and I prayed for Paul. To this day I don’t know where Paul ended up, but I know that maybe Paul just needed to be heard.
Fast forward to Granada, Nicaragua. A city filled with beggars, people longing to be heard. We came across this man, Wilbur, who seemed to only be asking for spare change, but God had something bigger. I actually came across Willbur on multiple occasions, each of which God revealed more and more about His love towards this man. One of the encounters actually lead to a bible study, on the side of the road, and in the middle of the scorching Nicaraguan heat. With a somewhat rusty Spanish (not you, Matt, your Spanish was actually incredible), me and two of my greatest friends, were able to sit and speak to this man about an even greater Man. We encouraged him return to his job as an artist and to use his story as a form of evangelism. Like Paul, I have no idea what Wilbur is currently doing, but he was heard.
Above (from back to front): Parker, Me, Wilbur, Matt
Palacagüina, Nicaragua. A small town in the middle of the Nicaraguan mountains (where my team and I currently reside). Last week, I was walking through the park and saw this man from afar, who was attempting to stop people but always seemed to fail. As I approached him, he began to shout (the following dialog has been translated to English for the sake of the reader):
“Brother, Brother!”
I stopped, “What’s up?” I asked.
“I’ve been trying to stop people all day and no one has listened to me. Today I heard God tell me to go to the park and when someone stopped they would have something for me.”
Stunned, I stood. I didn’t have any words for this man, I was just on my way to get some wifi and boom. But I asked for a second and began to pray, and God spoke.
“Have you ever read Mark 5?” I asked.
“No, I’m a new believer and I haven’t gotten to read much.” he replied.
I continued to explain to him the power that Christ carried. How that woman’s faith in how she thought “if only I could touch His robe” is reflective of our desperation for something bigger. How the simple act of Jesus turning around demonstrates affection and understanding. The conversation ended with this misty eyed man asking for prayer, and I, with now only semi-rusty Spanish, began to pray.
We have a God that listens. A God that in a multitudes of thousands will stop for the cry of an individual. A God who seeks us. So I leave you with that simple mission: listen. Whether that be God’s still voice or someone you would otherwise ignore in a street corner. God will use that one step of obedience for something great.
In Christ,
Diegz
“I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.” -Psalm 3:4
