| Daniel's Gloves |
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| Written by Author Unknown or is it? |
| Wednesday, 10 March 2010 07:34 |
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I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant > just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were both > especially good that day. > > > > As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, > walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly > goods on his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, 'I will work > for food.' My heart sank. > > > > I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others > around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of > sadness and disbelief. > > > > We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We > finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and > quickly set out to accomplish them. I glanced toward the town square, > looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, > knowing that seeing him again would call some response. I drove through town > and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my > car. > > > > Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: 'Don't go back > to the office until you've at least driven once more around the square.' > > > > Then with some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the > square's third corner, I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the store > front church, going through his sack. > > > I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet > wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be a > sign from God: an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached > the town's newest visitor. > > > > 'Looking for the pastor?' I asked. > > > > 'Not really,' he replied, 'just resting.' > > > 'Have you eaten today?' > > > > 'Oh, I ate something early this morning.' > > > 'Would you like to have lunch with me?' > > > 'Do you have some work I could do for you?' > > > 'No work,' I replied 'I commute here to work from the city, but I would > like to take you to lunch.' > > > 'Sure,' he replied with a smile. > > > As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions. Where > you headed?' > > > > ' St.. Louis ' > > > 'Where you from?' > > 'Oh, all over; mostly Florida ..' > > > 'How long you been walking?' > > > 'Fourteen years,' came the reply. > > > > I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the > same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly beyond > his 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence > and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a > bright red T-shirt that said, 'Jesus is The Never Ending Story.' > > > > Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in > life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences.. Fourteen > years earlier, while backpacking across the country, he had stopped on the > beach in Daytona. He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a > large tent and some equipment. A concert, he thought. > > > He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival > services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his life > over to God > > > 'Nothing's been the same since,' he said, 'I felt the Lord telling me > to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now.' > > > > 'Ever think of stopping?' I asked. > > > 'Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me But God has > given me this calling. I give out Bibles That's what's in my sack. I work to > buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit leads.' > > > I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless. He was on a mission > and lived this way by choice. The question burned inside for a moment and > then I asked: 'What's it like?' > > > 'What?' > > > 'To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show > your sign?' > > > > 'Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make > comments.. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a > gesture that certainly didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became > humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change people's > concepts of other folks like me.' > > > > My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his > things. Just outside the door, he paused He turned to me and said, 'Come Ye > blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when > I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a > stranger and you took me in.' > > > I felt as if we were on holy ground. 'Could you use another Bible?' I > asked. > > > He said he preferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was > not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. 'I've read through it 14 > times,' he said. > > > 'I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and > see' I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he > seemed very grateful. > > > 'Where are you headed from here?' I asked. > > > 'Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park > coupon.' > > > 'Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?' > > > 'No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star > right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next.' > > > He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his > mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours > earlier, and as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his > things. > > > 'Would you sign my autograph book?' he asked. 'I like to keep messages > from folks I meet.' > > > I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had > touched my life.. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a > verse of scripture from Jeremiah, 'I know the plans I have for you, declared > the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; Plans to give you a > future and a hope.' > > > > 'Thanks, man,' he said. 'I know we just met and we're really just > strangers, but I love you.' > > > 'I know,' I said, 'I love you, too.' 'The Lord is good!' > > > 'Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?' I asked. > > > A long time,' he replied > > > And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend > and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed.. He put his > things on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, 'See you in the New > Jerusalem.' > > > 'I'll be there!' was my reply. > > > He began his journey again. He headed away with his sign dangling from > his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, 'When you see > something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?' > > > 'You bet,' I shouted back, 'God bless.' > > > 'God bless.' And that was the last I saw of him. > > > Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold > front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As > I sat back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them.... a pair of > well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle.. I > picked them up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay > warm that night without them. > > > Then I remembered his words: 'If you see something that makes you think > of me, will you pray for me?' > > > Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the > world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two hours > with my unique friend and to pray for his ministry. 'See you in the New > Jerusalem,' he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will... > > > 'I shall pass this way but once.. Therefore, any good that I can do or > any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this > way again.' > > > Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot > of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another. God bless and have a > nice day! > > 'Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies > reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. > Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment.. > Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is > self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace, In Jesus' > precious Name Amen.' > > > I sent this to more than four, but this story is so touching I felt > each of you would enjoy it greatly. > > > GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!! |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 07:37 |