If there is one thing I have learned about the world at large is that most people are fatherless. An excellent ploy by the enemy. To give a bad taste in millions of mouths when they hear the word “father”. So when they do hear that they have a Heavenly Father who absolutely loves them, the word father makes them cringe. But what the enemy meant for evil, God has used for good.
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” Romans 8:19
It says that all of creation waits for their Father. God has taken that bad taste and said, “come, taste and see.”
I was reminded of this when on a normal run to the grocery store, this worker approached me. Or should I say, followed me as I walked down the aisle. He was asking me how I was but more than this, he was hungry. I will be honest, I wasn’t really giving him the time of day. I had a list of items to get before I had to catch a bus back home. Even more so, based on his uniform and how he was stocking shelves, he definitely worked there. As I stopped towards the end of aisle, this man still beside me chatting, I annoyingly thought, “You’re hungry? Why don’t you buy yourself some food?” In the midst of looking at items on the shelves and every once and awhile making eye contact, this man said something mid all the words that caught my attention…
“I don’t have a father.”
I cut him off embarrassingly late and said,”What’s your name?” “Charles,” he said. He had my full focus now but Charles didn’t seem to care. My lack of interest a minute ago was old news as he went onto tell me how his father has never been there and that he lacked somebody in his life that could encourage him. I said, “You know you have a Father in heaven, right?” He stated quickly, “Yes, yes, I believe in God.” “But,” I said, “Do you know that…that He’s your Father?” He again swiftly tried to convince me that he knew. But it was all head knowledge yet to transition to his heart. After this exchange of conversation, I could barely get a word in. Charles went onto describe how he wanted a mentor. How he needed someone to push him in his faith and lift his head when times got tough.
This is when I knew that this wouldn’t just be a one time divine encounter. While gaging his interest, I said, “Well Charles, I am here for three more weeks, I would love to get together.” As much as I measured his interest, he measured mine back. But he took me a lot more seriously when I got his phone number.
We met a week later and the first meeting of my mentorship of him, Charles did all the talking. I sat and listened to his heart and his story. Quick note: Before we ever minister to, we must listen to. We have to know who were ministering to before we ever start ministering. Charles told me of his bitterness towards his father, how he didn’t want a relationship with him, and how much of his life is the way it is because his father was not around. Just then it was clear to me. Charles didn’t have one, but two, distant fathers.
“Cody, what do you think I should do?” Completely humbled by everything he just told me, I said, “Well, I think Christ calls us to forgive. But that doesn’t have to be today.” I went on to share with him that forgiveness is not natural, it is supernatural. So we need the Holy Spirit to forgive. But God will not rush you, it’s a process. Charles received what I had to say but it was just the beginning of what the Lord was doing in his heart.
Charles and I met two more times after that. Even by our second meeting, when we saw each other it was like we had been brothers are entire lives. We joked, we laughed, we hugged. On the very last day, I wrote him a letter charging him to pursue Christ above all else, which he told me he was going to frame it and put it on his wall. Then Charles said, “Cody, you must promise me one thing.” “What’s that?” expecting a hopeful request of my return to Swaziland one day. Charles answered, “You must promise me that I will be your bridesmaid in your wedding one day.” After being unable to contain my laughter, I said, “I’ll see what I can do, but my future wife might have a say in that.” We hugged and said our goodbyes. Leaving that day and even as I’ve reflected on my time with Charles, the Lord has made it clear just how he graciously used me:
Charles was led closer to his Heavenly Father so that one day the Father will lead him to his earthly father. There’s still healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation that still needs to be had but I believe he experienced some of those things with his Father in heaven. A proper step before he ever receives healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation with his dad.
Wherever you are, let this be an encouragement to you. Often times God may not be leading you to initiate with someone but simply recognize who he puts right in front of your face. If I did not recognize Charles as an opportunity God was giving me, I would have missed him, and I almost surely did. I almost put my grocery list before one of God’s children that was awaiting an encounter with the Father. By God’s grace, I saw Charles. I saw a son missing two fathers. By leading him to the One, I pray he finds the other.
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Some of my teammates are short of their final deadline. Craig Bass, Brittany Gonzales, and Joshua Hernandez still need money in order to finish the race. Please prayerfully consider supporting them financially.
