Irrelevant Conversation?

Irrelevant Conversation?

I will never forget this dude for the rest of my life. I can still pull up an image of him from the vaults of my memory (2002). I forgot his name the night he introduced himself to me because I pegged him as a dork from "jump street" (the beginning) and after the conversation we had, I never wanted to see that "series 7 jackal" again anyway. I use these derogatory terms to describe this individual because I need you to feel the way I felt about him back in ‘02. This guy called me out onto the mat and he had just met me! Who did he think he was? I was a professional athlete coming off a year where I led the league in strikeouts…. I was on my way to the big leagues (in my mind). (By the way, I finished second in the league in strikeouts, but it sounds way better claiming that I led the league. Oh, how my ego needs to be fed!) A series of events led me to a dinner gathering, during spring training, in a Florida home of a family I knew from San Francisco. They had three kids who were all around my age, one, of which I used to hang out with. I knew them from church back in the Bay Area and I just happened to have spring training close to the town where they lived. Oh, did I mention that I had lost contact with them when they moved to Florida and randomly stumbled into a gym (on the other side of the country) where the son was working, only to have us look at each other and say "You look familiar!"? Is that God's sovereignty? Back to the dinner; they had invited a random kid (4 years or so younger) over to hangout, he didn't really fit in. So the evening moved along… a nice home-cooked meal was like gold and then it happens. I'm in the living room, (away from the pool table where most of the people are hanging out), trying to enjoy a college hoop game by myself and this young buck approaches me with, "So where you at with Jesus?" I look at this dude like he just asked me if I like burgers and fries topped off with a tasty shake. "What do you mean?" I replied, in a stabbing tone. He explained "How long have you been a Christian? What is God doing in your life?" I stumbled over some answer trying to mix in some “christianese” that I picked up over the years from an occasional church service. He stopped me half way through and said, "Dude, it doesn't work like that! You have to come to Him and be saved!" He proceeded to press me up against the wall with biblical truth and I stood there defenseless! I had no clue about anything. I'd never really read the bible. I just went to church sometimes to check it off the list of things to do and feel like I was better than most people. This guy shook me, or better yet God shook me that night. Less than a month later, I found myself in a hotel room on my knees at a bible study praying to receive the King. That conversation with that young kid changed my life. It played a pivotal part in my personal journey to faith! Truth is, that kid has no clue that he was used the way he was! He is probably working a normal desk job and is a member of a local church. He might have a wife and a kid, but he is probably an ordinary guy…. not somebody you would remember meeting. I disliked that guy for weeks until I accepted Jesus and the Spirit made things clear to me about how that conversation led to my salvation. Now I love the dude! I can't wait to see him in heaven! Is God sovereign? Yes; he can and does use small things to cause waves. Are you allowing God to use you? Have you come to grips with the fact that God is totally in control and has purposed all things for His eternal glory? Unfortunately, pain can be a big part of His plan because it sets up the stage for God to do the impossible. Let's show a little faith next time we get dealt a bum hand. Thanks for listening.

Ben