Ministry From Strangers

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

Hebrews 13:2 NIV

Let me tell you about a man I met today. His name is Vidal. He is a 63 year old Navy Veteran of the Viet Nam War from New Mexico. He is camping nearby on his way to the VA hospital in Dallas for his regular treatments for prostate cancer. He stopped by the parsonage during lunch to ask for help in getting some gas. I helped him on behalf of the church, but he helped me in the name of Jesus Christ.

Just as I was whining today through my post-Sunday funk, where I sometimes doubt everything from my calling to doubting the moon-landing, the doorbell rang. He was a stranger that needed ministry but he ministered to me.

As we were standing at the gas pump just chatting, he started telling me his life story. Vidal's life has been so hard in the last few years with tragedy after tragedy coming to him and his extended family. Then he found out he had cancer.

The first doctor had told him the cancer had spread to the point that he had only 6 months to live. But the second doctor said, "Only God can knows when you will die. Take you treatments but don't listen to the doctors about how long you'll live. Put your faith in God because he is in control." That was over two years ago.

Then Vidal told me about when he gave his heart to Jesus Christ. It was about 10 years ago when he was taking care of his dying mother. Both of his parents had been Christians and tried to teach him and his siblings about the Lord, but he kept pushing Jesus away. One day, however, while a nurse was helping with his mother in the other room, he started watching a famous preacher on television. Vidal told me that he had heard this guy before and had some opinions about his ministry, but this day he heard the word of God and not the man. "Like lightning" is how Vidal described what happened when he gave his life to Jesus Christ. He knew his life was changed. As he described that day to me I could see tears pooling in his eyes becasue of the joy he had received that day.

Since then, through all his trials, Vidal has kept his faith even though he doesn't know how much longer he has. "God is in control," he said, "I just have to keep the faith no matter what."

Then he shook my hand, thanked me and blessed me. And I thanked him.

And as I got in the car and drove away, with tears in my eyes, I thanked God for Vidal. I have just got to keep the faith no matter what.