Letters From Grandpa #585

• LETTERS FROM GRANPA
• 585

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about something I wrote many years ago while returning from preaching at a convention in Jamaica. The point of this letter is to encourage you to be sensitive to people around you who may need encouragement. Both “encourage” and “discourage” involve courage!

“The four-day convention was over. It was a profitable trip and I had met literally hundreds of new brothers and sisters in Christ. We began early and stayed late and spent the entire day on the camp grounds. When a friend took me to the airport he had other responsibilities to attend to and therefore left me "alone" at the airport. I didn't mind for it provided me with an opportunity to reflect upon the convention and even to do some writing. As a matter of fact these very words were written in a crowded airport terminal while I was "alone."

This writing took place at Lambert Field in St. Louis. This huge airport dates back to the 1920’s and is one of the biggest and oldest airports in America. I was surrounded by literally thousands of people, and yet I was “alone”. Each person seemed to be preoccupied with his or her own problems. Some were hurrying to catch a plane or a taxi, others were absorbed in a magazine or a briefcase full of business. Others stared blankly at the mass of humanity around them as though they were invisible. It had been a long day. My journey began some eleven hours before and home was still over five hours away. Suddenly, however, I became painfully aware of my own selfishness. I had spoken briefly with a lady from Guyana and practiced my limited Spanish with a man from Ecuador. Regrettably, however, up to this point I had given no real witness for Jesus. Since I wanted to be a "fisher of men," I wrote down a prayer asking God to help me be more sensitive to the needs of those around me. Not everyone in a crowd is longing and lonely, but invariably some people are. I remembered that Jesus once called Zacchaeus out of a crowd. Even though Zacchaeus was rich, and powerful he was still very much in need of someone to really care.”

I finished writing the prayer I noted the time. It was 6:47 p.m. CS.T.

Since I still had a couple of hours to wait for my plane I took a short walk and then casually read the daily news. Feeling a bit thirsty, I stepped across the aisle for a drink and had to walk around a man sitting in a wheel chair. Since the adult fountain was not working I kneeled down and drank from the children’s fountain. I arose to see the man in the wheel chairing smiling. His name was Malcolm. Our conversation began as naturally as though it had been planned. Presently his wife, Ella, came to his side. I told them of my long wait and asked if I might have the privilege of pushing his wheelchair and getting some exercise. They seemed pleased.

• On the way to Gate
• 24 I discovered that they were just returning from a cancer hospital. During the course of his illness Malcolm had received fifteen different kinds of chemotherapy. The last five had been experimental drugs. Now his doctors had discontinued all treatment and sent him home to die. Malcolm said that he may only have a week to live. When we arrived at gate
• 24 I took a crumpled paper out of my pocket and read them my prayer. Ella wept and said, "You'll never know how lonely we were." Then we all wept! I had asked God to help me minister to someone who was “alone” and it seemed to all of us that God had answered this prayer.

Fortunately Malcolm and Ella were already Christians. I gave them a copy of Mike Pratt’s Meditations for his mother and included my home address and contact information. I asked for their address and discovered that they were from Peoria, Illinois. This was only a few miles from where Granny and I began our ministry in a small country church. I asked for the privilege of praying with them. Then we joined hands and thanked Jesus for our blessed hope beyond the grave.

Ella wiped her tears and said, "I believe that God sent you to us." I wiped my tears and told her that I thought it was the other way around. I noted the time. It was 7:45 p.m. God had answered my prayer in less than an hour. This seemed to be a divine appointment! A simple prayer had transformed a dismal delay into an opportunity to encourage a brother in Christ on the threshold of eternity.

Just yesterday I met a woman at Mizzou Aviation who was unemployed and in need of encouragement. I stepped outside to my car and gave her two books: Meditations for Mother, and God, Guidance, and You. Both of these books are available on my website but hopefully the hard copies will help her realize that God watches after sparrows, and she is more important to God than many sparrows!

Angela Primn is one of the premier Gospel singers of our generation. Here is one of her songs with a message we all need to hear!

If I can help somebody as I pass along If I can cheer somebody with a word or a song

If I can show somebody he is traveling wrong

Then my living shall not be in vain

Then my living shall not be in vain Then my living shall not be in vain If I can help somebody as I pass along

Then my living shall not be in vain

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce