Unexpected encounters

The picture of this prime strip loin steak has nothing to do with this week's story. I had to cook my own evening meal a couple of times this week because Sharon was busy. I thought the picture of one of my steaks was a lot better picture to show up on face-book than the ugly rooms I have been working on.

I have been working on the blue house.  

 The bedrooms were way too small.

8 foot wide and then the closets cut out of them lengthwise so at one end they were only 5 and 1/2 foot wide.

Do you ever get a feeling that something is coming? We want our business to be used by God to touch people's lives. On Monday I knew God was going to "allow" me to impact someone's life this week. Honestly, my answer to God was, "How about I just get some work done this week?" We were gone 3 days last week and I was hoping to get caught up.

 On Tuesday I had a conversation with someone who appeared to be buying into the popular view of Christianity in the USA. Good people go to heaven when they die. My response was "No one goes to heaven unless they know Jesus died for their sins." I usually think it is best to explain the love of God. How God loves them and wants them to know him for eternity. This time the conversation was pretty blunt. You don't admit you are a sinner who needs salvation, you are not going to heaven. End of discussion. Good people don't go to heaven, forgiven sinners go to heaven.

OK, so I got to share the gospel as I was working and none of "my" time was lost. Do you think I have lost sight of what is important?? What is more important remodeling a house or saving souls. I think I needed an attitude readjustment.

Part of last week and again on Wednesday I had been working trying to tear out a wall. It was sheet rock covering plaster and lathe. I tried to cut the wall into pieces with a saws-all. I was burning blades in less than 4 foot of cut. I was down to cracking it apart with a sledge hammer and carrying the pieces out in buckets. I did not see an end in sight.

Thursday morning as I was carrying out a 5 gallon bucket of busted up plaster, a young man walked past the house. He stopped and asked if I was working by myself. If I was, could I use some help.

He told me he had worked construction in the past, but he had taken 4 or 5 months off to deal with family matters. 

I didn't ask what those family matters were. I did ask if he had ever done deconstruction. 

He was willing to give it a try and I hired him on the spot.

I do think there were moments when he was as much in despair as I was. He kept coming up with ideas of how to make the tear-out easier. Every time I either said. "I tried that" or "That won't work".

At 4 pm we quit and the walls were out. 

By this afternoon we had the new studs in

and the beginning of the sheet rock. For the 2nd time this week I shared the gospel.

The man's grandfather is dying. I asked if his grandfather had his sins forgiven by Jesus. He said yes. Then  I think I surprised the young man. I said "good then your grandfather is ready to die."

"Yes, but I don't agree with my grandfather" He said. "I think all religions have some of the truth but they are all missing a piece of the truth but I don't like to talk about religion because it always causes arguments."

I have found there are times to be silent. I think he was confused that I didn't argue with him or try to tell him what I believed.

He started to talk. "I don't believe it was wrong for Adam and Eve to eat the apple. I think original sin was when they killed the first animal for food."

I was not going to argue when the first animal was eaten, but neither was I going to let this pass. "It wasn't an apple that Eve ate. The ancient Jews think it was a fig. Doesn't matter what she ate. The command was not to eat from the tree of Tov-ra-vov. Knowledge of good and evil and everything in between. The command of God was broken when they ate and breaking God's command never turns out well.

He replied, "you are right, not obeying God never turns out good. There are 13 prophets and 12 of them are false prophets because they were out for a profit. There was only one true prophet Elijah."

"Um no." I explained. "There were false prophets but they were not the ones who wrote the Bible. The prophets who wrote in the Bible were not out to take advantage of anyone." Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Malachi, none of them spoke to take advantage of anyone."

"Well I am the kind of a guy who would give away everything I have and sleep in the street if I see someone in need." was his answer. 

His thought train seemed spastic most of the time.

My answer of "That was what Jesus taught you know" left him sputtering "but, but..." I continued "Yea I know most Christians don't live that way but it is what Jesus taught, love sacrificially."

Then it really got strange. He said, "I have been having a dream every night that I am going to meet a man that is going to be important in my life. Sometimes meeting someone is a once in a life time experience. You only get to have an experience like that once in your lifetime. You are a man like that."

I don't know what demons are plaguing this young man. I don't know what God has in store for him, but he did not get thrown into my life with out a reason. He has definitely hit bottom. I do know that the demons working on him will not get to me with false flattery. I know what my worth is because I know the thoughts of my heart and it is not a pretty picture.

I started my week thinking God was going to take "my" time to interact with someone who was needing to see the kingdom of God. I ended my week realizing that not only did God use "my" time to share the truth about Jesus, but God used one man I shared with to get my work done. I may think I know what is the best, but compared to God, I have no clue. 

I invited the young man to join me in church on Sunday. I doubt he will come but God seems to be working and I never underestimate the work of God. It may not be showing up in church Sunday morning that is God's plan, but I do know if this young man confesses his sin and his need for a savior it won't be the first time I have seen it happen. It is grace, all grace and the work of the Spirit.

God uses us even when we are dragging our feet and don't want to be used. 

Sharon has been praying for another man and all of a sudden this week he was also thrust into my life. I said to Sharon, "when you start praying it seems I always get punished." 

"Seems so" she said without apology. 

Between you and me I wouldn't miss any of those "punishments" I have gotten from her answered prayers for the world. Just don't tell Sharon that.