Hello everyone! I am going to tell you a story today. 🙂
The names and locations have been changed for the safety of the people involved.
This is legit.
There is a pastor that we have been working with named pastor Andy and he told us a little story a few nights ago that really got me to thinking, and I feel like I should share it.
Let me tell you a little bit about Pastor Andy before I tell you the story. Pastor Andy has been, and is, very active around the communities he works in. He works with a lot of youth in soccer leagues. He runs a program that makes official leagues available to these youth in poor communities by utilizing donated jerseys, money, and time from volunteers. The only thing these youth have to do to be a part of the league (besides try-outs because there are so many youth wanting to play) is go to a weekly Bible study. If you miss a Bible study then you can’t play. He is doing an amazing thing for these kids. You wouldn’t believe how well known this man is- I’m pretty sure he has connections with everyone just because people know he is legit and is making a difference for the street kids. He truly has a heart for God and for the youth of this country and all over. God is really working through him to help the street kids learn responsibility, commitment, honesty, teamwork, and even about how much God loves each one of them. So there is a little portion of who Pastor Andy is and what he is all about. Now for the story…
The community where Pastor Andy lives is far from the safe suburban house that most Americans live in. It’s actually quite dangerous. There are a lot of gangs, street kids, and simply desperate people trying to feed their families any way they can. It’s especially dangerous at night for anyone to be walking around. However one night Pastor Andy was walking home around eight, and it was pitch black outside. He was walking down the steep hill that made up the street. While he was walking he started hearing footsteps behind him up the hill…a lot of footsteps. The footsteps were getting louder as the people got close to him. They were literally running down the street after him. Pastor Andy finally looked back at what was heading for him and saw about 40 teenagers chasing after him. All of them had knives in their hand ready to rob and kill him. It didn’t take long for them to catch him. When they caught up to him they instantly demanded his watch, wallet, and shoes. He stood shaking from head to toe out of fear as he handed over his stuff. He knew they intended to kill him. After they got all they wanted from him they were ready to kill him simply because they could. They didn’t give any value to a life. Pastor Andy begged for just one moment to say something to them before he was killed. They said “talk fast old man”. So he took a deep breath and said to them “God loves you, each of you. He sent His son to die on a cross for your life. He made this sacrifice because of His love for you.” After he finished he dropped his head and closed his eyes not wanting to see the blades coming after him to kill him. He stood there for what seemed like ages but nothing happened. Slowly he began to raise his head but still didn’t open his eyes. He said he couldn’t hear anything and thought they might have left. He finally opened his and eyes, and saw something crazy. The boys, all 40 of them, were crying. Crying. Can you believe that? They apologized to him and gave him back his belongings. Then they said that they were going to walk him the rest of the way and protect him because he would have to walk through several other gang territories. God won the battle that night.
How amazing is God? He literally took Pastor Andy’s life into His hands just so that He could make an impact on those forty teenagers that night. He is works in crazy cool, and sometimes just crazy ways (to us), to bring glory to His name.
After hearing this testimony I had to stop and ask myself a question. If I was ever put into the position where I knew I was not going to live what would my last words be? Would I profess God’s love for that person and tell them that He desires to have a relationship with them and that He sent his son to die the most agonizing death imaginable because of the love He had for them, or would I beg for my life, or would I just cry and accept my fate? I had to do a serious heart check with that one. In my heart I hope that I would tell them about Jesus and the love He has for them, but I won’t ever really know until I am in that situation.
I want you to read over this story and really think about it as well. Which option do you think you would do, honestly? If it’s not telling that person that God loves them then you aren’t a bad person. It’s not natural to stare the end of your life head on and spout love songs to God, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen.
God’s love has been rocking my world lately.
I have been in 1 Corinthians 13 since just before Valentine’s day because I feel like I need a new revelation on God’s love for me and for how I am supposed to love all of my squad mates, family, and friends. That has actually been the focus of our squad right now too. That we truly love one another as God would love us. And I can’t tell you what a challenge that actually is. I know that God can change our hearts and teach us how to truly love like He does though. I am ready to be part of a generation that changes the world through love. I want to love the socks off of my teammates and squad mates this year, and I want to love on all of the amazing people I meet along the way. That is one thing that I said to my teammates the other day. That I think that this race for us is to learn how to love each other here on the squad, in this community of believers that all so uniquely made to mirror God’s image, and all of the ministry stuff we do is like the sprinkles on the ice cream. It just makes what we are doing even sweeter. 😉
Please be praying for my squad and I as we are trying to establish this foundation of love. As we become a generation made to love like God and show others around us God’s love. This squad has something special to it. A greatness that is waiting to be tapped into and spread out to the nations. I think this greatness will come about as we become even more unified and just love on one another. We must follow the greatest commandment and then the rest will fall into place. 🙂
“You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor (teammate/squad mate/family/friends/random strangers) as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 ESV
