Truly an angel

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST SEVEN YEARS SINCE THERE WAS A KNOCK AT MY OFFICE DOOR. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT OPENING IT WOULD CHANGE MY HEART AND LIFE FOREVER. AS THIS YOUNG MAN NAMED ARBEY STOOD IN THE DOORWAY, HIS APPEARANCE TOLD ME HE HAD LITTLE AND WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT WELL PHYSICALLY. HE HAD SOFT BLUE EYES, A PINK SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRT, JEANS AND ACROSS HIS SHOULDER HE CARRIED AN OLD BEAT UP SATCHEL. IN AN INSTANT I KNEW THIS WAS ALL HE HAD, BUT I ALSO KNEW IT WAS HIS VERY BEST.

I CAME TO UNDERSTAND HIS SITUATION THROUGH OUR CONTINUED DISCUSSION, AND I’LL NEVER FORGET HOW FAST HE TALKED FEARING I’D SHUT THE DOOR BEFORE HE’D FINISH. HE WAS NOT THERE TO ASK FOR MONEY OR FOOD OR CLOTHES AS MANY WHO CAME TO OUR DOOR HAD. ALTHOUGH HIS BODY WAS RIDDEN WITH DISEASE INSIDE FROM ALCOHOL AND OUTSIDE FROM THE COMPLICATIONS OF SEVERE DIABETES, HE WAS THERE TO FIND WORK. HE ASKED IF HE COULD SWEEP OUR PARKING LOT, AND I REMEMBER LOOKING AT HIS WEAK BODY WONDERING HOW HE COULD EVEN LIFT A FINGER. BEING IN A SMALL OFFICE, I COULDN’T THINK OF A THING TO OFFER THIS MAN. I FUMBELED THROUGH MY PURSE FOR A FEW DOLLARS, WISHED HIM THE BEST AND SENT HIM ON. BUT AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR, I FELL TO MY KNEES AND CRIED. THE TEARS WOULDN’T STOP. A WHILE PASSED AND SOMETHING INSIDE CONVICTED ME TO GO AFTER HIM. UP UNTIL THAT DAY, I HAD CONSIDERED MYSELF A PRETTY COMPASSIONATE PERSON, BUT THIS MAN DIDN’T LOOK LIKE ME, HE HADN’T LIVED THE KIND OF LIFE I HAD LIVED, I DIDN’T KNOW HIM IN THE LEAST. BUT I KNOW I WAS CALLED TO GO LOOK FOR HIM, AND IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THIS TRUTH; THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALIVE AND WELL IN BELIEVERS. STRONG GODLY DESIRES OR CONVICTIONS TO REACT OR RESPOND IN SITUATIONS ARE NOT MERE COINCIDENCES OR SOLEY OF OUR OWN DOING, BUT THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN US.

THIS 39-YEAR OLD MAN BECAME A HUGE PART OF MY HUSBAND JOHN’S AND MY LIFE. WE LEARNED ABOUT HIS FAILING HEALTH, HOW HE’D COME TO BE HOMELESS, AND ABOUT HIS PAST. ALTHOUGH IT WASN’T A PRETTY ONE IT DIDN’T SEEM TO MATTER. HE WAS SEARCHING FOR A NEW WAY - A NEW LIFE, AND A NEW LIFE HE FOUND. THE THREE OF US HIT NUMEROUS PEAKS AND VALLEYS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS BUT NOTHING COULD HAVE PREPARED US FOR THE PHONE CALL WE RECEIVED ONE LATE SUMMER NIGHT FROM OUR DEAR FRIEND. HE TOLD JOHN HE COULDN’T DO IT ANYMORE. HE COULDN’T FIX ALL THE WRONG IN HIS LIFE AND HE NEEDED GOD TO TAKE CARE OF IT. HE SAID HE HAD WANTED TO COMMIT HIS LIFE TO HIM FOR A LONG TIME BUT NEVER FELT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH. NOW WAS THE TIME, AND HE WANTED TO BE BAPTIZED. THE NEXT DAY WE ALL MET AT OUR CHURCH, AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WHEELCHAIR BOUND, ARBEY FORCED DRESS SHOES ON HIS SWOLLEN AND DISEASED FEET FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF HIS LIFE. HE ASKED FOR TIME ALONE WITH GOD AND THEN WE ALL PRAYED TOGETHER. AFTER CARRYING HIM UP THE STEPS TO THE WATER, MY HUSBAND STOOD NEXT TO HIM IN THE BAPTISTRY TELLING HIM HOW VERY PROUD WE WERE OF HIS DECISION AND HOW FAR HE’D COME. ARBEY MADE THE GREAT CONFESSION PROCLAIMING CHRIST AS THE SON OF GOD AND HIS SAVIOR, AND JOHN LAID HIM BACK IN THE WATER LIFTING HIM UP A NEW MAN. TO THIS DAY, I BELIEVE ANGELS ARE STILL REJOICING IN SONG FOR THAT UNDENIABLE OBEDIENCE TO THE KING. FOLLOWING THE BAPTISM ARBEY JUST STOOD THERE IN THE WATER. HE ASKED ME TO SING “AMAZING GRACE,” PUT HIS HAND OVER HIS HEART, CLOSED HIS EYES, AND LIFTED HIS HEAD TO THE HEAVENS SOAKING IN EVERY WORD. IT WAS TRULY EVIDENT THAT THIS MAN HAD FOUND GOD AS HE DISPLAYED UNDENIABLE APPRECIATION FOR THE FACT THAT HE HAD.

ON OCTOBER 31ST OF THAT YEAR I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND RECEIVED A CALL ON MY CELL PHONE TELLING ME ARBEY HAD PASSED AWAY AT 6:20 THAT MORNING IN HIS APARTMENT. HE HAD PEACEFULLY GONE IN HIS SLEEP AND I PRAISED GOD THROUGH MY TEARS. FOR DAYS FOLLOWING I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, “SUCH A BIG CHAPTER OF MY LIFE IS NOW CLOSED…” BUT I REALIZE THIS CHAPTER WILL CONTINUE ON AS LONG AS I KEEP IT ALIVE, FOR WHAT ARBEY TAUGHT ME CANNOT BE CONDENSED INTO ONE CHAPTER BUT IS A LIFETIME OF LESSONS. HE MADE ME REALIZE THAT GOD PURSUES EVERY HEART AT EVERY HOUR. HE NEVER GIVES UP ON US – EVEN WHEN WE GIVE UP ON OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER - AND AT THAT MOMENT WHEN A HARDENED HEART DECIDES TO SOFTEN IN THE LEAST, GOD IS READY TO MAKE IT HIS OWN. ARBEY TAUGHT ME THAT LOVE CONQUERS ALL – IT SINCERELY CONQUERS ALL. IT DOESN’T JUDGE OR CONVICT. IT DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YESTERDAY BUT ONLY LOOKS AT THE HERE AND NOW AND WHAT IT CAN ACCOMPLISH TOMORROW. ARBEY TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF A CHILD-LIKE FAITH AND HOW GOD DOESN’T NEED OUR PIOUS WORDS AND INTRICATE DETAILS, BUT ONLY AN INNOCENT, PURE HEART THAT DESIRES A TRUE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

ARBEY WAS NOT SENT TO MY DOOR SO THAT I COULD BE OF ANY HELP TO HIM. ARBEY WAS SENT TO MY DOOR SO THAT MY EYES MIGHT BE OPENED TO A WORLD I THOUGHT I KNEW BUT REALLY DIDN’T. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF WHERE I MAY HAVE BEEN HAD ARBEY NOT BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE. OH, I WOULD HAVE LED A GOOD, DECENT LIFE, GONE TO CHURCH, LOVED MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BUT I’M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE OR COULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE DEPTH OF LOVE GOD HAS FOR EVERY SOUL – GOOD OR BAD - HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS MAN. GOD USED A MAN THIS WORLD WOULD NOT DEEM AS SUCCESSFUL, RIGHTEOUS, INVITING OR APPROACHABLE TO LEAD MANY CLOSER TO HIM.

SO, IN HONOR OF ARBEY, MAY WE ALWAYS KEEP OUR HEARTS AND EYES OPEN TO OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR FRIEND, OUR ENEMY, AND EVEN A HOMELESS MAN, THAT WE DON’T PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY GOD SO WANTS US TO TAKE. AS THE HEBREW WRITER TELLS US, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

THANK YOU, ARBEY, FOR PROVIDING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. OH, AND DON’T FORGET TO SAVE ME A PLACE IN YOUR MANSION.

amazing grace, how sweet the sound...
jg