"Just A Man"

I only write this for one simple reason...
and the only reason this fellow would
allow me to share...
all Glory belongs to God!


There is a man I've known awhile...
an ordinary chap... a 40-hour work
week kind of fellow. Faithful to his
family, loving in his own, certain way.
A little rough around the edges...
a stick to his convictions type of guy.
Steadfast in his walk.

He is an encourager... spends countless
hours writing cards to folks... A man
who recognizes the gifts God has
given to him, and uses them...
Always the encourager.

5 months ago, he was attending just
another Sunday morning service at
his church. For reasons he didn't know
at the moment, he began searching
over the sanctuary... and finally
spotting a face he did not recognize.
Uncomfortable where he sat, and
motivated by the Spirit, he recognized
the call to approach a young woman
he did not know, and decided to be
faithful to the Spirit's voice to interact.

As the service concluded, he frantically
could not find that face. And as the people
began to exit, he dashed for the lobby
in hopes to find the one he was directed
to encounter.

Finally spotting his intended audience,
he dashed out the lobby door to engage
the one he was called to encourage.
A short encounter with the first time
church goer revealed the searcher
God intended to grab hold of.
After asking if he could give her his
number in case she had any questions,
she agreed... and the first meeting ended.

The following week, he scanned the church
and did not see her.

The next week, he received a call in the
middle of the week. She called.
Wanted to thank him for stopping her
and talking with her. Explained to him
that she had not come back the second
week due to the fact that she works
2 Sunday's a month. So he asked
her if she had planned on coming back
the following week, and if she was to
come, he invited her to sit with him
and his wife.

She did.

And for several months, 2 Sunday's a month
she came, sat with this man and his wife.
She shared with him and his wife things
about her life... building a relationship.

Two week ago, this man's pastor called him
at home. Not a startling development, but
phone interaction between the two was
not how the communicated best.
The pastor told this man that a young lady
had called to meet with him and the pastor's
wife. She had questions. And so they met.

And so for the first time in her life see saw
the open arms of Jesus... and she lept into them.

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul?
Only servants, through whom you came to believe—
as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything,
but only God, who makes things grow.
The man who plants and the man who waters
have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NIV

Now I know this man would claim nothing more
than what God has said through Paul in 1 Corinthians 3.

It's not this man's story... it's a story to God's glory.

But how awesome it is that the God of universe
who doesn't need us for anything, would privilege us
to be apart of his work?

I want to model my life after this man...
faithful to the voice of the Spirit to
go beyond fear and doubt
and to act.