Wrote this a few weeks ago and I wanted to share.
When in High School, I tried to get along with every people group. In school, you had your preps, your jocks; you also had the goths and the freaks as well as the geeks and nerds. I could be missing other stereotypes however I always despised how much division there was. I reckon you could say I was a part of the popular crowd but I think I was sort of grafted in because of football over the years.
One day, I believe it may have been my junior year, and it was Mr. Wallens math class. I actually got there early which was kind of rare. I don’t even remember the kids names anymore but as I was sitting down I remember watching a couple kids playing with their Dragonball Z cards. You could tell they were really into it and pretty proud of the cards they had. Out of no where though one of the kids puts them on blast insulting them and their cards.
Their reaction was absolutely heartbreaking. I remember telling the guy to stop and he did but the blow had been dealt and the wound was deep. I would go throughout my entire Friday at school thinking about that.
I had a job as a security guard at Southeast Missouri Mental Health center in Farmington. It was a contractor job and I was mainly a check in guard for visitors coming to see their relatives who had been admitted. I personally think it may have been illegal being that I was only 17 but I was making roughly 120-150 a week in High School and I didn’t care because then I thought I was making good money ha!
That evening I convinced my Grandpa to run me over to the local card shop that sold these cards. I still to this day have not told him why I wanted to go but he did it. I spent a hundred bucks on those cards and when I got to work and opened them all up and just checked them out and looked at them. Quite honestly some of them were pretty cool.
As the weekend finished and Monday started, I had my fifteen or so packs of cards in my backpack. When the class before Mr. Wallens was over and the bell rang I was a homing missile getting there. Once I walked through that door I sat right down with them and pulled out my cards and I began to start conversation with them. Here I was, John Simmons, big strong guy and starting football player, sitting with a few kids who for the most part have been looked over by others and at other times have been heavily insulted talking Dragonball Z and playing cards. Their reaction, now that I am older, was pretty precious. Looking back at this now I truly understand how it is that God deals with us when we first are seized by the power of His great affection. He enters right into our stuff and regardless what others may think, or say, He endures it all with joy and to Him and how could it not be? You are literally the apple of His eye, the VERY object of His affection.
It was blessing to see their reaction, their entire countenance changed, they were comfortable and they felt accepted. It was actually really awesome and from that moment on for the rest of the school year (it was already towards the end of it) I talked with them everyday. In fact the next year I never saw them again because they were moving after that summer.
I’ve honestly been thinking about this since the shootings, and the almost shooting that could have taken place in Kent, Washington which isn’t to far from me and now it seems like Michigan. And no, this is not an anti-gun post. I personally like guns but with my go big and go home mentality I can’t not buy anything smaller than a 454 Super Red-Hawk Casull, so I don’t own one. But I do believe in something more powerful than any gun or any weaponry (carnal weaponry that is) and that is the Love of God and I believe this Love when it is expressed and imitated authentically with a pure heart, with no strings attached, has the power to move mountains and refound the world where the former is no longer needed. In fact, our Abba promises there is a day coming when the former will no longer be needed. To such an extent that He would show us that example by hanging on a tree.
So with that, I am not saying I just prevented a mass shooting and saved tens maybe hundreds. What I am saying however is whether you’re young or old, walk with those whom are suffering, with those who are weak help carry them, to those who are rejected by most accept them with loving arms. You’ll be blown away as to how much you’re literally manifesting the Gospel to them. Not by words, but by your actions. A lot of what you do is how people will perceive God.
Blessings,
John
Wandering Ragamuffin 