Let me repeat myself from the last blog that I wrote: Every time that we went to the dump in Swaziland, the Lord sent us home with an amazing story.
This one might be my favorite.
After a week of going to the dump, and already feeling like a family with the guys, we felt that the Lord was asking us to step out and start a Bible study (Don't worry, it gets better).
So we let the guys know on Saturday that starting the next week, we would go through the Bible together.
The morning of, a few of us walked down to the dump. Just before we entered the gates, I knew that I had no idea what I was walking into. So we prayed one last time.
“Lord. You have to take this. We are only here for two more weeks. You have to show up.” We invited His Spirit to go before us.
When we got there, I told a group of guys about the Bible study. They seemed disinterested.
So I walked to find my brother, Manga. He was the only one that I knew would come. I asked him if he was ready and if he would help me gather up a few more guys. Apparently they had been talking about it before we got there, and there was actually a guy by the name of Shoes who really wanted to come.
Manga also mentioned that there was one little problem—he was drunk. Would it be okay if he came?
To be honest, I didn’t really think anything of it. And my thinking was that maybe the gospel would sober him up a little. Idunno.
So our group got together, with about 10 people sitting around the pile of rocks next to the trash.
Let me tell you something: I did not come prepared.
I fumbled through the first 5 verses of John (I love the book of John). For some reason, I went into this Bible study thinking that I had to teach and that I had to reveal everything. But boy, did the Lord put me in my place.
Let’s just say that rather than waiting for anyone else to speak, I just jumped right in and did all the talking. God asked us to do a Bible study, and I was trying to preach a sermon.
(I say this to humble myself. God’s plans are better than mine 7 out of 7 times [That’s every time].)
While this was going on, this guy named Shoes was sitting there, just grinning. The grin turned into a giggle, and the giggle turned into comments.
Didn’t he know I was preaching? There’s no comments allowed.
So I actually started getting frustrated. I would read and then he would say how it reminded him of another verse. He’d quote the reference books and chapters and have me turn to them and read them aloud. And every time that I read something, he would be over there quoting it with his lips and giggling excessively.
I’m not kidding when I say that he did this probably 8 times. Every time a different book. Old testament. New testament. Gospels. Revelations.
Verses that I had never heard of.
And it wasn’t until about halfway through that I could actually collect my head long enough to hear the Lord.
This guy knew his Bible. From front to back, he was bringing up relevant scripture and valid points in his drunkenness. And midway through, the Lord ripped my pride out of my chest and had me take a step back.
(Paraphrasing) He said to me “Look, Justin. See past yourself. The men are receiving my word through this drunk man. I have plans for him. I have plans for his life.”
……..
I was shocked.
I went into this Bible study thinking that it was my job to share the Word of God, when the Lord chose to use a drunk man instead. And not only that, but He started revealing HIs plans for Shoes.
After he took over, the “Bible study,” it finally started to go well. We wrapped up and prayed over our time. As everyone else dispersed to go to work, Shoes stayed back to talk.
The Lord was now ready to use me. Now that I had been humbled and taken out of the picture, it wasn’t me working out of my own effort or out of my own pitiful excuse for “wisdom.” The Lord spoke through me.
You need to know that I am not a bold person when it comes to confrontation. I like to be passive, and sugar coat things so that the person won’t be offended. But the Lord gave me enough love for this man that I was able to boldly speak into his life.
“Shoes, you know the word of God. You know God. Why are you drunk? Why are you doing this to yourself?”
And he shared.
He shared about his past as a gangster. He showed us the bullet hole in his skull. He told us about the time that he was about to die and he made a covenant with the Lord:
“If you save me, I will be yours. My life will be to serve you and I will make disciples.”
This is how he came to the dump by the Lord leading him there. But alcoholism had captivated and captured him. It had a stronghold on his life, and he let it consume him.
At the end of our conversation, he shared a dream that he had the week before: He was standing in front of a pulpit preaching from the gospel of Matthew. As he spoke and looked down, the words on the pages of his Bible began to move around and run away from him. And the Lord spoke to him in that dream—if he didn’t choose freedom from alcohol and fulfill his covenant, this would be his life. But God was calling him out of that. Warning him with visions and dreams.
I had never been more sure of a prophetic word from the Lord.
“Shoes. We were sent to this place to tell you that it’s time to leave that behind. It’s time to fulfill your covenant with the Lord.”
Every time that we spoke, it was like sobriety overtook his body. The Lord was allowing him to hear the truth that we were speaking, even though he was intoxicated. We prayed over him and it was time to go.
Since then, I didn’t see him much. He usually came in the afternoons after we left. But I got to see him one last time on the last day in Manzini.
I had written him a God-inspired note of encouragement, and asked him the hard question even though I was afraid to hear his answer.
How long have you been sober?
After several seconds and bad guessing from 6 to 13 days, he stopped and realized—“Bible study. I haven’t had a drink since our Bible study.”
If that’s not a reason to rejoice, I don’t know what is!
My friend had gone through 10 days of sobriety that he hadn't experienced in years, and we got to celebrate with him. That’s the freedom that Christ offers.
I write this story to glorify my God. The God who leads Bible studies, humbles and disciplines his sons, who gives us boldness, and sets us free from bondage.
Shoes will lead the people from the dump. He will minister to them in ways that I never could. He will be led by the Lord and he WILL MAKE DISCIPLES.
To God be all the glory.
I didn’t write Shoes’ story. God did. I just get to share it.
Please join with me in prayer for this man of God. For freedom and boldness and everlasting sobriety.
