We have a long gravel driveway at our home, with a small wooden bridge about half way down the drive. Having been raised in a small rural town, I like the sound of tires on gravel and the rumble of the bridge decking when a car goes over. The songbirds appreciate the very small gravel for their crops.
During the recent rainy weather, the high water eroded fill behind the retaining wall under the bridge, creating a void that, if left unattended could render the bridge inoperable. After moving our vehicles to the road side of the bridge, I consulted a former co-worker and a plan was formulated to plug the hole with two yards of concrete. I rented a concrete vibrator to insure the concrete filled all of the crevices we could not see. After the vendor loaded the vibrator in my truck, I gave the two gentlemen a gospel tract and encouraged them to read it.
Last Friday we made the repair as planned and judging from last night’s rain, it is working. When I returned the concrete vibrator, one of the same gentlemen assisted me. When he gave me my proof-of-return slip, I asked him if he read the tract. He said it was in his truck and he would. I asked him if he was a Christian and he replied he was a Catholic. As it turned out, he had not been to church since he was a young child. I witnessed to him briefly about Jesus and encouraged him again to read the tract.
As I drove around the building to turn in the proof-of-return form, it dawned on me that this was a divine moment orchestrated by God for this man’s sake. So I drove back around the building to the “Returns” area and gave him a Gospel of John and a different gospel tract. Realizing what was happening, I also took the opportunity to give a more in-depth witness about Jesus Christ. I closed by saying that we would pray for him.
As my wife and I drove back around the building again to leave I told her that evidently the bridge had to be damaged so we could witness to this man.
We always want to know “why”. Why this happened and why that happened. The lesson I took away from this small incident, is that God is concerned about people first, not bridges, concrete or high water. So whatever “crisis” is going on in Carl’s life, Carl needs to be redeeming the time by looking for opportunities to be a witness for Christ with the people the “crisis” brings into my path. The crisis will ultimately be dealt with and solved but we may never have the opportunity again in our lifetime to witness to that person and everyone deserves a chance to believe in Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus came to seek and to save those that are lost. Let us be doing His ministry.
Be a witness….everyday…… somehow.
“…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. II Peter 3:18
Carl
Psalm 119: 38 