January 28, 2020
Oswald Golter was a missionary in northern China during the 1940s. After ten years of service he was returning home. His ship stopped in India, and while waiting for a boat home he found a group of refugees living in a warehouse on the pier. Unwanted by anyone else, the refugees were stranded there. Golter went to visit them. As it was Christmastime, he wished them a merry Christmas and asked them what they would like for Christmas.
“We’re not Christians,” they said. “We don’t believe in Christmas.”
“I know,” said the missionary, “but what do you want for Christmas?” They described some German pastries they were particularly fond of, and so Oswald Golter cashed in his ticket, used the money to buy baskets and baskets of the pastries, took them to the refugees, and wished them a merry Christmas.
When he later repeated the incident to a class, a student said, “But sir, why did you do that for them? They weren’t Christians. They don’t even believe in Jesus.”
“I know,” he replied, “but I do!”—From storiesforpreaching.com
In November 2003 I was in Finland, fundraising when I met Tino in an old dingy club. As it turned out, he had no customers at the time. Perfect, I thought, as I began to present my volunteer work. But Tino politely said that if I was there to sell anything, he was very low on money and wasn’t interested.
“I’m going through heavy depression. Several of my friends have died recently, all from alcohol. No one seemed to care when they passed on. Now I feel like I could be next, and I fear that it will be the same for me. Will anyone really care?”
He went on to tell me at length about his problems—his excessive drinking, his massive debts, and worst of all, his depression. When I asked him if he believed in Jesus, he answered, “I’m not sure.”
Jesus, make me a channel of Your love and answers to this lost and weary soul, I silently prayed. Then I told Tino how Jesus could light up his life. “He is the answer to all of your problems,” I said. “The Bible says that He is a very present help in time of trouble—any trouble.”
We talked for over an hour. My heart ached and my eyes filled with tears as I put myself in the position of this poor, desperate man, and considered what it was like for him, not knowing Jesus’ unconditional love or the peace He brings.
“Do you say these things to everyone you meet?” he asked at one point.
“No,” I answered, “but I do pray every time I talk deeply with someone. I pray that my words will be Jesus’ words—what He has to say to that person.”
By now Tino’s eyes were brimming with tears, too, and I knew that Jesus was speaking to his heart, bringing a ray of light into his dark, gloomy world.
I held his hands and prayed for him and that he would come to accept Jesus into his heart.
Two years later I went to Finland again, and I made sure to visit Tino. The Lord had worked things out wonderfully for him, but differently than either of us had expected. He had lost his club, so had taken a job as a bartender in someone else’s.
“It was for the best,” he said, and it was clear that he really meant it. He looked like a new man. “Now I have so much less to worry about and so much more time to enjoy life and spend with my wife and children,” he said, all smiles. He certainly wasn’t the same depressed, sullen man I’d met two years earlier. A little love—God’s love—had changed his life.—Angelina Leigh
The famous American evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837–1899) once said, “The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ.” Some say that what Moody meant was that the only way most people will hear the gospel is if someone takes it to them. Others say he meant that most people form their opinions about Christianity not by what is preached, but rather through the examples they see—how Christians live. Possibly he meant both, because both are true.
People need to hear the gospel and have it explained, but they also need to see an example of someone living it. Only the Holy Spirit can work in people’s hearts to help them decide to receive Jesus and be saved, but to understand what God is offering them and to believe that it can happen to them, most people need to see how He has already worked in someone else’s life.
“The fruit of the Sprit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”1People can be drawn to God’s Spirit when they see you being loving and understanding, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and considerate.—Shannon Shayler
There is a true story about a Christian and an atheist who were walking down the street together, discussing God. The atheist was ridiculing God and said, “If there were a God, there would be some proof. There should be a difference between us that people could see. If you really have God and I haven’t, that beggar there, for example, should know just by looking at us. Let’s see who he asks alms of.”
And as they walked by, the beggar leaned clear across the atheist who was walking closest to him and stretched out his hand to the other man and said, “Oh man with God in your face, please give!”
People need to see Jesus in us. We need to let the light and love of His Spirit shine through. The way to do that is to stay close to Him, loving Him and thanking Him for all His goodness to us.—David Brandt Berg
There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He … noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy … got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, “What did you do today that made you so happy?” He replied, “I had lunch with God. You know what? She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?” She replied, “I ate Twinkies in the park with God.” But before her son responded, she added, “You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, or the smallest act of caring!—Kathy Pinto2
Published on Anchor January 2020. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso.
Music by John Listen.
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