living missionally

LP2C (loving people to Christ) is first and foremost an attitude of the heart. As we are captivated by the gospel, our eyes are opened to the incredible value and worth of every human being we meet. Every single person we encounter in this life is seen as someone for whom the God of the universe was willing to die.

I was reminded of how the gospel affects us in this way yesterday when I read the following email from Denise Behymer, the wife of our Executive Pastor, Norman Behymer:

Today I went to the dentist. It was a dreary and rainy day in the middle of August which was a rest from the one hundred degree days we have been having. I saw her immediately when I walked up to check in at the desk. It’s a small office so I really couldn’t miss her. She immediately quipped out, “I like your purse.” I said thank you and sat down beside her to chat more about the purse. “I like a big purse,” she said. And we started talking about the features of the purse that we both liked.

She announced that she was ninety one years old. I noticed there was no one there with her and later on found out she had driven herself there. With no apparent apprehension she started telling me her story. She had lost her husband several years back due to complications of diabetes, and added in that no one helped her with him. She didn’t seem to be angry, just sad. As I listened to this ninety one year old lady spill her heart out to a complete stranger, I asked myself and questioned the Lord. “What are you doing here Lord?” She began to tell me how she had sold everything after her husband had died. My immediate reaction was, “Wow I wish I could have been there for that sale!” Her lovely 3000 square foot home and most everything in it including some very expensive silver and her farm with livestock and chickens were sold also.

She began to tell me that her only son had married but her daughter in law didn’t like her. “He never calls,” she said. Lonely, she’s lonely I thought. Also thinking, their going to call my name any minute and I’m not sure I’m finished with her. I kept listening for an “in” to her faith or if she even had any. She did mention that she went to the Catholic Church so I asked her if she had friends from her former church in another town. She only said that she thought they would call when she moved but they didn’t.

One of the stories she told me was that she took her granddaughter shopping and just let her try on everything she liked and then bought everything for her. They didn’t teach her to say “thank you” she said. Holding a lot of grudges I thought. How sad. I just sat and listened and nodded every once in a while with a smile. She just needed someone to talk to and spill her hurts to. Still a complete stranger…

Finally I heard my name called as well as her name. We were headed in the same direction and then I turned to her and told her that I hoped she would find peace and then we went into different rooms. I couldn’t get her off my mind all the time I was getting my teeth cleaned.

What was so funny is that this little lady just couldn’t get past how much she liked my purse, even offered to pay me to find her one. So she ended up giving me her name address and phone number. I told her she could go to Ross and find one perhaps and told her how to get there.

Long story longer, I went to Ross to look for her a purse to no avail and there she was. I ended up walking her to her car in the rain and she said the most precious thing I have ever heard said to me. She looked at me standing in the rain and said, “I like you, I really like you”
I have spent the rest of the day crying and thinking about her. Worried if she got home in this weather, thinking about her being all alone in a town she doesn’t think cares for her. I imagine I will just write a note to her and send my purse to her. I hope that thru my actions that some how she saw Christ, that maybe I was His hands and His feet and His touch to her today.

As I was driving home with tears filling my eyes feeling like I hadn’t done enough I heard the words come into my mind. “I was a stranger and you took me in.” Oh my, thank you Lord for an experience I will never forget.