I didn’t realize it at the time, but four quarters had
opened the door for me to speak into Matthew’s life. It wasn’t the price I paid that earned me
that right; it was the fact that I acknowledged him as a person and not a
glitch in my schedule. I wanted to hear
his story and I wanted to know who he was.
opened the door for me to speak into Matthew’s life. It wasn’t the price I paid that earned me
that right; it was the fact that I acknowledged him as a person and not a
glitch in my schedule. I wanted to hear
his story and I wanted to know who he was.
One of my buddies from the Race (AJ) and I went to a place
called Little Mexico in the Gainesville area to grab some dinner and catch
up. We ordered our food from a trailer turned
restaurant because we knew they had some of the best Mexican food around. As we were sating down on the picnic bench to
start eating, a man approached us. He asked
us if we had a dollar to spare. I
reached in my pocket and pulled out four quarters and as I handed them to him,
I asked his name. He said it was Matthew
and I chuckled a little and said we had something in common. For the next 30 minutes or longer we talked
with Matthew and heard some of his story.
It was a story littered with pain, disappointment, and
hopelessness. He was down and out. We sat there and listened, offered advice and
tried to love him as best we could. As
we prayed for him tears became something he couldn’t hold back any longer…but
soon enough he had gathered himself back together and said he had to go. He apologized for keeping us from eating and
as quickly as he had shown up, he vanished.
called Little Mexico in the Gainesville area to grab some dinner and catch
up. We ordered our food from a trailer turned
restaurant because we knew they had some of the best Mexican food around. As we were sating down on the picnic bench to
start eating, a man approached us. He asked
us if we had a dollar to spare. I
reached in my pocket and pulled out four quarters and as I handed them to him,
I asked his name. He said it was Matthew
and I chuckled a little and said we had something in common. For the next 30 minutes or longer we talked
with Matthew and heard some of his story.
It was a story littered with pain, disappointment, and
hopelessness. He was down and out. We sat there and listened, offered advice and
tried to love him as best we could. As
we prayed for him tears became something he couldn’t hold back any longer…but
soon enough he had gathered himself back together and said he had to go. He apologized for keeping us from eating and
as quickly as he had shown up, he vanished.
AJ and I sat down and looked at each other. I knew what he was thinking because I was
thinking the same thing. What just
happened? Did we help him at all? I was baffled as to what we could have done
different. How could I help him
understand that there was hope…that there was a God who loved him…that in the
midst of everything he was going through, God wanted to meet him right where he
was?
thinking the same thing. What just
happened? Did we help him at all? I was baffled as to what we could have done
different. How could I help him
understand that there was hope…that there was a God who loved him…that in the
midst of everything he was going through, God wanted to meet him right where he
was?
All we could do was pray….so we did. We spent time praying for Matthew and asking
God to show up in his life. I started to
realize that there are times and people in our lives that don’t need another
good piece of advice, they don’t need someone to just be listening ear, they
don’t even need someone who will tell the about God….no, they need an encounter
with Him.
God to show up in his life. I started to
realize that there are times and people in our lives that don’t need another
good piece of advice, they don’t need someone to just be listening ear, they
don’t even need someone who will tell the about God….no, they need an encounter
with Him.
My prayer for Matthew and others I meet like him is that they
will encounter Christ. They will see
Him, feel Him, touch Him, and know Him.
My heart is that this would happen through me…that I would be so filled
with Him that others couldn’t help but experience a piece of my Father through
me. It may not look like what I want it
to….it may not always feel glamorous or look cool…but it’s more about them knowing
Him than anything else.
will encounter Christ. They will see
Him, feel Him, touch Him, and know Him.
My heart is that this would happen through me…that I would be so filled
with Him that others couldn’t help but experience a piece of my Father through
me. It may not look like what I want it
to….it may not always feel glamorous or look cool…but it’s more about them knowing
Him than anything else.
God….please show up in Matthew’s life.
