In Craig Groeschel's teaching today, he used an illustration of people in a bar and how they are often open to talking about love, God, and spirituality. I connected with Craig's story.
As we left a wedding reception, a very drunk man stopped me. "I can tell you have love. I see you and your family. You have love." I waited. He came closer to whisper. "I need it. I need to grow. I need to grow in Christ."
I affirmed his awareness. We were interuppted, and I admit that I was grateful at the moment. I wasn't sure what to do with his confession.
Still trying to exit minutes later, he approached me again. Inside of the handshake that made for an awkward lack of personal space, he pulled me very close. With intense eye contact, he said, "I love Jesus." I smiled and said, "I'm glad. More importantly, Jesus loves you. He really does love you." His eyes were teary. I don't know if it was from that truth or from the alcohol.
Some might dismiss that "He's drunk. What matters is what he'll do when he's sober." Really? Drunk or not, he knows he needs Jesus. Jesus meets us where we're at - all of us! God loves the drunk guy who professes his love for Jesus.
I don't know what this guy will do in response to that love. I'm just glad that God is Love, and that he gives us the chance to offer love to one another.
I meet people like this qiute often on my way to and from work and the bus station and also at work at a hotel. A voice always rings out, "there's Jesus." I think of the passage, "if you've done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto me."
Posted by: Tom Becker | June 13, 2009 at 03:08 PM