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| Encountering God In Strangers |
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13:1 Let love of the brethren continue. 13:2 Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
You don’t shoot salesmen, do you?” asked a 20 year old white boy as he stood on a black man’s front porch in Columbus, Georgia during the racial uprising of the summer of 1971. The smiling white boy was wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals; and holding a sample copy of Ebony’s Pictorial History of Black America.
“Oh no! No Sir! We don’t shoot salesmen. Come on in here.” said the black man. The white boy warmly shook the black man’s hand as he walked into the living room and asked, “May I sit down?”
“Have a seat.” the black man said and pointed to a couch covered with clear plastic. Above the couch was a picture of three men; Martin Luther King, Jr., President Kennedy, and Bobby Kennedy. Beside that was a picture of a black Jesus.
The white boy sat down and began to flip through the pages of Ebony’s Black History. He showed pictures of slavery, lynching, segregation, police dogs, Madame C. J. Walker, Jackie Robinson, and even the Jackson Five.
Somewhere during the sales presentation the white boy asked the black man if he knew Jesus as his Savior. The black man smiled from ear-to-ear and said; “I couldn’t have made it without Jesus!”
“The white boy said: “I love Him too!” He put down the Ebony sample book and they began to talk excitedly about “sweet Jesus.” Before long they were holding hands and praying for each other.
Then they embraced warmly, both wiping away tears. When the white boy left, the black man said, “You be careful, Son!” The white boy said, “Thank you, brother. ”
This happened to me many times a day that summer as I sold black history books door-to-door in the middle of a racial uprising in Columbus, Georgia. Many times I would be showing my book and find out my prospect was a Christian. I would lay the book down and have wonderful fellowship with my Christian brother or sister. We would testify about God’s work in our lives and pray for each other, sometimes for hours. I was always amazed at the kinship and love we “strangers” felt for each other. |
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| To add a comment to "Encountering God In Strangers" |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| I do love that story! |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Thank you, Joey. |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| That's right...We all are brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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The same Spirit can reside in about anyone , anywhere!
Thanks for sharing. |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Very nice! |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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Whoa!! Good story!!
One family One Body |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Great story... God does not see the colour of our skin... only the colour of our hearts.... Black with hate or warm with love.... |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Beautiful! |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Proof positive that our Lord is always on the move, always working. Thank you Steve, for a great story. This only reinforces the idea that we have brothers and sisters no matter where we go. Praise our King of Kings, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Jesus Christ. |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Thanks guys for all those great comments and stars!!! |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| We are all Gods children He loves us very much and is allways there |
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| August 06, 2008 |
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| Amen, Brian! |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Wonderful story Steve and I agree with all the comments above ;o) |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Glad you enjoyed it, Mar Jay. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| The revelation that its the differences in color that make the rainbow so beautiful needs to be applied to people too; God gave me that revelation and I wrote a childrens book which I am going to publish this year which teaches kids that its the differences that make us all so beautiful when we stand next to each other in harmony, in unity with Jesus. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| That is just how God is.....He doesn't see the outside He see the inside and find the common ground and he goes to work on building new relationships......I trust that was a summer you will never forget just like our Lord and Savior He is someone you can never forget......thank you for sharing that wonderful life experience. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Thanks Jeff and Sista! |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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Man of God,
All God wants us to see is the Blood.
The Blood of Christ Jesus paid it all.
So all I see here is the Blood...
This is wonderful for us to see how the
power of the Blood work for us!!!!!
Thanks for sharing a great life story. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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Good testimony.
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Thanks JehovahJC & H.S. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Thank u so much Steve for such an encouraging story |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| And thanks for reading it, Praisemore. |
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| August 07, 2008 |
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Steve's story remind me of a young African American who was in Army Boot Camp at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. It was November, 1963, not too long before JFK was assassinated. The social setting at that time was reflected in the adjacent cityof Ft. Polk where the social clubs separated the soldiers; "Whites" on the east side of the main highway and "Colored" on the west side - and the ever presence of the local "peace officers" to maintain the status quo..
The young African American soldier was in the "latrine" one morning when a young European American walked over to the sink and pretended to be washing up for revelry (in those days there was no privacy in the Army, even in the latrine). When the young "Colored" soldier stood up to pull up his pants, the young "white" soldier yelled - "Can I see your back-side"!
I will skip the reply that took place (use your imagination). Nevertheless, the young "Colored" soldier showed him his back side - with a little more dialogue. He then turned back around and stooped over to pull up his underwear and pants. Suddenly he saw the toes of the "White" soldier almost close enough to touch his toes. In an automatic defense mode he quickly stood straight up with his arms cross in front of his head to protect himself and looked the "White" soldier in the face - about eighteen inches away..
There the "White" soldier stood, his hands folded in front of him - with tears streaming down his face in and uncontrolled manner; and after a few seconds he said; "I am really sorry if I insulted you; but you see, I am from Tennessee, and all my life I have been told that "colored people have tails" - I just wanted to see for myself!" At that moment the spirit of compassion flooded the "Colored" soldiers entire being, as tears also flowed down his cheeks. And for the next few seconds, there they were hugging each other - with mutually overwhelming compassion - recognizing how they both had been deceived by what others had said. And as God would have it, no one other person entered the latrine until after the entire ordeal; and it's a good thing, because the "Colored" soldier still had his pants down. (Also a true story)
Folks, we are all God's Creation, so why should we let the devil continue to keep us separated by skin color - especially we who are of the family of God'?!!
Brother Patrick
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| August 07, 2008 |
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| Good story. Thanks for sharing. |
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