Friday night I met an incredible man. A brilliant, genius of a mind, with eyes that looked into my heart and soul and told me things he believed God was sharing with him. He revealed things to me about my character that he could read by our conversations, and filled my heart with encouragement and strength as he spoke with passion and real love for his Lord and Saviour. His name is Russell. I met him Friday night, where he was panhandling on Queen Street.
My friend Sharon and I set out on a mission Friday night that the Lord put us on. We didn't know what, or who, we would encounter, but we knew God was leading us, and we had no choice but to follow. We set out from the Eaton Centre after having a prayer to commit the night to the Lord, and walked along Queen Street. Within about 2 minutes, we came across a man, half in the shadows, sitting on the ground with some change in front of him and a smile on his face. As we approached, he looked at us and said "In darkness, there is joy." We handed him a sandwich, and he was over joyed at the sight of food. He began to talk to us very openly, so we sat down beside him and began to chat.
His name is Russell, he told us. Although his thoughts were often scattered, and would jump from topic to topic, we managed to keep up and participate in quite a passionate conversation. Turns out Russell loves to read, and just devours books. He spends a lot of time in the library and can literally tell you (very accurately) about almost anything in history. Whether it be about the Greeks, the Romans, Canadian History, or Jesus Christ...he's got it down pat. But he doesn't just talk, or recite the knowledge that he has in his head. He passionately and emotionaly gets right to the heart of it all, and challenges you about things that would never have crossed your mind normally. His head isn't just filled with knowledge...it's just brimming with real and true wisdom.
The biggest thing that struck me about Russell is how he wept. Two occasions that he began to cry stick out in my mind very strongly.
The first was when he had asked Sharon and I what we thought about Jesus Christ. After we responded, I turned it around and asked him the same question. He became quiet, closed his eyes, tilted his head down....and wept. Not a single tear, or a quite sob. Full weaping took hold of this man. He looked up at us and apologized, but said that Jesus just meant so much to him, and struck him so deep...he couldn't help but weap. And there was no way this was an act, or carefully placed together words. He was demonstrating REAL emotion and TRUE love for Jesus. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and experienced. It will be a memory that I will carry with me forever. A man not knowing what else to, besides cry, because the love for his Saviour is just too great.
The second time that Russell was overcome with emotion was when he began to talk about "beautiful minds." It happened several different times throughout the conversation. He would talk about different people in history who were "beautiful minds," who cared about people, and changed history, and were just brilliant...but didn't have Jesus in their lives. The part that he struggled with was the thought that God would send this precious lives to eternal damnation. How could such incredibly passionate and beautiful people not get into heaven? This thought drove Russell to weaping every time he brought it up. It was incredible.
I was touched and impacted by my two hours spent on Queen street, sitting on freezing cement with a homeless man, Friday night. He told me several times throughout the night that I was a protector, a solid rock to support people, and that I was strong. It was so incredible. These were the exact words that I know God has been trying to tell me over the last little while, but have been refusing to hear. But through the mouth of a man who lived on the street..the Lord touched my heart in a very real way.
Russell kept apologizing as he felt that he was getting us depressed, or bringing us to a "dark place", but words kept failing us as we tried to thank him and describe to him what an incredible, passionate, person he was, and how God was speaking through him.
I could go on and on for hours more about my conversation with Russell. About the things that touched me, and the incredible way God is using him, but I'll stop here. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my life, and he is one of the most passionate and incredible people that I have ever had the privledge of knowing and the honour of having a conversation with.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about Russell since last night. I pray that if it is God's will, we will run into him again.
One final thought. Something Russell asked Sharon and I near the end of our conversation. He said.."what happens next?" He meant, after our conversation...now what? What else do we do? We gave him food, we gave him company, and we shared Jesus with him. What comes next? Sharon and I looked at each other, not sure of how to answer the question, and then Russell went on to another topic that had just popped into his head. But thats the question I leave you with, because I still don't know. What happens next?
My friend Sharon and I set out on a mission Friday night that the Lord put us on. We didn't know what, or who, we would encounter, but we knew God was leading us, and we had no choice but to follow. We set out from the Eaton Centre after having a prayer to commit the night to the Lord, and walked along Queen Street. Within about 2 minutes, we came across a man, half in the shadows, sitting on the ground with some change in front of him and a smile on his face. As we approached, he looked at us and said "In darkness, there is joy." We handed him a sandwich, and he was over joyed at the sight of food. He began to talk to us very openly, so we sat down beside him and began to chat.
His name is Russell, he told us. Although his thoughts were often scattered, and would jump from topic to topic, we managed to keep up and participate in quite a passionate conversation. Turns out Russell loves to read, and just devours books. He spends a lot of time in the library and can literally tell you (very accurately) about almost anything in history. Whether it be about the Greeks, the Romans, Canadian History, or Jesus Christ...he's got it down pat. But he doesn't just talk, or recite the knowledge that he has in his head. He passionately and emotionaly gets right to the heart of it all, and challenges you about things that would never have crossed your mind normally. His head isn't just filled with knowledge...it's just brimming with real and true wisdom.
The biggest thing that struck me about Russell is how he wept. Two occasions that he began to cry stick out in my mind very strongly.
The first was when he had asked Sharon and I what we thought about Jesus Christ. After we responded, I turned it around and asked him the same question. He became quiet, closed his eyes, tilted his head down....and wept. Not a single tear, or a quite sob. Full weaping took hold of this man. He looked up at us and apologized, but said that Jesus just meant so much to him, and struck him so deep...he couldn't help but weap. And there was no way this was an act, or carefully placed together words. He was demonstrating REAL emotion and TRUE love for Jesus. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and experienced. It will be a memory that I will carry with me forever. A man not knowing what else to, besides cry, because the love for his Saviour is just too great.
The second time that Russell was overcome with emotion was when he began to talk about "beautiful minds." It happened several different times throughout the conversation. He would talk about different people in history who were "beautiful minds," who cared about people, and changed history, and were just brilliant...but didn't have Jesus in their lives. The part that he struggled with was the thought that God would send this precious lives to eternal damnation. How could such incredibly passionate and beautiful people not get into heaven? This thought drove Russell to weaping every time he brought it up. It was incredible.
I was touched and impacted by my two hours spent on Queen street, sitting on freezing cement with a homeless man, Friday night. He told me several times throughout the night that I was a protector, a solid rock to support people, and that I was strong. It was so incredible. These were the exact words that I know God has been trying to tell me over the last little while, but have been refusing to hear. But through the mouth of a man who lived on the street..the Lord touched my heart in a very real way.
Russell kept apologizing as he felt that he was getting us depressed, or bringing us to a "dark place", but words kept failing us as we tried to thank him and describe to him what an incredible, passionate, person he was, and how God was speaking through him.
I could go on and on for hours more about my conversation with Russell. About the things that touched me, and the incredible way God is using him, but I'll stop here. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my life, and he is one of the most passionate and incredible people that I have ever had the privledge of knowing and the honour of having a conversation with.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about Russell since last night. I pray that if it is God's will, we will run into him again.
One final thought. Something Russell asked Sharon and I near the end of our conversation. He said.."what happens next?" He meant, after our conversation...now what? What else do we do? We gave him food, we gave him company, and we shared Jesus with him. What comes next? Sharon and I looked at each other, not sure of how to answer the question, and then Russell went on to another topic that had just popped into his head. But thats the question I leave you with, because I still don't know. What happens next?
1 comment:
We never know when God's gonna show up! You were totally present - maybe there won't be a next step with Russell - there will be for you - keep seeking and following Jesus!
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