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You Conduit

trib-al's picture
Submitted by trib-al on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 13:42

 

     To many he was the Principal, the “Fessor”, their Senior Bible teacher and to Bob McGhee’s mother, he was a co-worker. Everyone who met him knew him as Elder George Smith. He was habitually up at 4:30 each morning to commune with God. Sometimes I’d sneak down the hallway and listen to his prayers, standing just outside his study. In addition to the names of students, colleagues and many others, I’d hear my name and an odd sense of security would fill my heart. He gave me my first haircut. Perched me on a chair out in the carport, placed a bowl on my head and snipped away. When I was four years old, he stopped me from picking up a rattlesnake that had wandered inadvertently into the front yard - warning me of the dangers involved with living in desert country. Quite often, he’d carry me on his shoulders around Thunderbird Academy, sometimes to his office and sometimes just for a stroll. He’d “wow” me with stories, especially when he would act out Bible stories or stories from his own life. He taught me to drive, baptized me and years later participated in my ordination. To me, he was my Grandfather, my mentor and at times the only person that believed in me unconditionally. He never lost faith in me despite the ups and downs of my life and never judged me for my lack of experience or wisdom. I called him, “Maca” and my Grandmother, whose name is Nancy, “Ma.”
     Just before my junior year in high school, I got in a spot of trouble and was sent to live with my grandparents. Being the grandson of the principal in the school one is attending has its trials, believe me. My response to such trials was not always the best. One day I lost my cool and caught a bully with an uppercut, sending him flying past my Grandfather’s open office door. That evening he came home after a school board meeting and sat down for supper, as usual. I was fearful of what would come next.
     Disappointment showing itself around the corners of his eyes, he quietly said, “I heard you throw a punch today and saw someone fly past my office door.”
     I nodded, waiting for the well-deserved punishment or at the very least, a lecture.
     “Don’t let it happen again. You’re better than that.” Then he did something we’d been doing to one another for a long, long, time. He initiated a rubber band fight – shooting at me from under the table.
     I didn’t let it happen again, either. Disappointing someone who has expressed only belief in you is more than enough punishment.
     A strange thing happened that year. I went from having a low grade point average to being a straight “A” student and became actively involved in the school’s intramural sports program, in addition to holding a class office. To this day, I know that my grandfather’s belief in me and his ability to see beyond my outer appearance made all the difference in the world. (I mean, think about it, my current photo looks like it came off a Post Office wall.) When Maca chose to be a conduit through which the love of God flowed, my life was forever altered. I was blessed by the Father to have someone like Maca in my life. He was my biggest fan and constantly cheered me on saying, “You can do it!” Since he passed away there is not a day that I don’t miss him.
     Here’s the rub. What do you do when you don’t have someone like that in your life? When you don’t have someone standing in the bleachers cheering you on? When you don’t have someone whose heart is open to you on days you win and days you lose? When you don’t have someone whose heart is open to you when you make wise decisions or foolish decisions? Where do you turn?
     When God told Samuel to anoint King Saul’s replacement, he sent him to Bethlehem, instructing him to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, inviting Jesse and all his sons to attend. God said to Samuel, “I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate”, (1 Samuel. 16:3, NIV). He did as he was told and when he saw Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, he thought, this must be the one I am to anoint. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV).
     In all, seven sons were introduced to Samuel and not one was chosen. Samuel must have been confused. Had he seen all of Jesse’s sons? When he finally asked if there were any more sons, Jesse admitted there was one more; the one that wasn’t made aware of the invitation to join Samuel for the sacrifice, the one that couldn’t possibly be chosen for anything other than following a herd of sheep about the countryside, the one nobody believed in – except God. When there is no one who believes in you – there is God! Where do you turn – to Him, there is no one better.
     God, who said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV). If He knew Jeremiah before He was born, He knew you and me. He knew us, loved us and believed in us enough to set the plan of salvation in motion – driven by knowing each of us individually, long before we were born. He believes in us! Because of that, the author of Hebrews reminds us that God said, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).
 
~ Pastor Al
 
P.S. This devotional was partially inspired by Gail, a member of Echurch7’s forum and a loving mother. Thank you, Gail. You’re right, nothing fazes God.