Categories: MotivationPurposeStones

I Chose You

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Let me tell you a story. I remember it was late fall. I remember that because it was dark early and as I walked from the MARTA station to my destination, it was cold. Not the crisp northern cold, but a Georgia winter wet cold. The type that crawls under your jacket and digs into your bones. I was late meeting a friend that I hadn’t seen in a while. Walking head down against the wind, I walked across the courtyard exiting the station and just vaguely remember seeing a shadow of a man. The voice in my head said, “stop.” It seemed loud and real enough that I came to a halt.

I now looked at the man standing in the cold. He had on a trench coat, but it didn’t look warm. He stood looking into the air, moving left, then right. He seemed uncertain as to what he needed to do next. I’m late. I said to myself and started to move on. All I heard was, “To the least of these…” nothing more.

God doesn’t yell or intimidate; He reminds us of both the great privilege it is to know Him and the great joy we can receive by obeying Him. It wasn’t a command or even a request. It was just a quiet voice of truth.

I looked at the man’s face. This moment was the first time I saw him. You know if you avoid eye contact, it’s not real. But I did see him; his eyes were sad and pain-filled. There were a lot of years in those young eyes. He knew disappointment; they were traveling buddies. He had lost something important, and he was at a loss as to what to do. I knew to speak to him was to take on his burden. Once I knew, I couldn’t turn back. Reluctantly I asked, “Can I help you?”

God is an incredibly loving God. He is amazing. This man’s need was everything to him. It was insurmountable in his circumstances. But to him, it was just another hard day on earth. To me, it was simple. I gave him what I had, and it was more than enough. He stood erect, shook my hand with thanks, and a nod. But his eye gave it away, relief and surrender. I started to walk away, but I stopped. I turned and said, “You know, God really loves you; that is why I am here now.” He smiled and said, “Yes, sir, I truly know that.”

Answer God’s call folks. Be that person. I don’t have words that can accurately paint the picture of how it will change your life forever.

There are big things that God will nag us over. He will plant the seed, he’ll water and fertilize it. God will come back over and over to prune it. He just won’t let it go. Those things we eventually come around to acknowledging. They’re BHAG’s (Big Hairy Aggressive Goals). They take time and energy and planning, but they are worth it in the end.

What I love, and crave, are the whispered moments when God has a single opportunity to share. It is like God says, “Tomme, see that rainbow?” “Look, it’s over there.” And when I turn, it takes my breath away. I stand in awe. These are the rocks in my memorial. I pick each one up and remember a time when He loved me so much He asked me to be in His plan for someone else. The stones are the BHAG’s that I could have never accomplished without Him. The rocks are His way of telling me how much He loves me for the little thing that makes life worth living.

I don’t know that man and he doesn’t know me. But I do remember the emotion of the moment when God rest His hand on my should and said “well done.” Be that person.

tommestevenson@gmail.com