Touching Others In Ways Unknown

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

All he did was stand on the side of the road - a simple enough thing to do. He didn’t part the waters. He didn’t heal the sick. He didn’t pound on someone’s door and preach the gospel to them. Nonetheless, he impacted the life of someone in a way he could not have fathomed. He merely stood still and touched the soul of a stranger, and that touch rippled out to wash over the hearts and lives of many others.

On an ordinary day, an extraordinary moment transpired. Scores of duties demanding our attention fell away. All the great things we thought we accomplished were quickly overshadowed. The tasks at hand became unimportant when we heard the story of how one of our very own left his Christian stamp on another human being. The story unfolded as the office assistant relayed the details of a phone call she received.

The caller was a local business operator inquiring about a young man who everyone in the community saw walking about town on a daily basis. This young man stopped by his establishment on that hot July day and asked for permission to sit and cool off. He first introduced himself as a member of our church. His name, Steve Jones, came second to the church so dear to his heart. Steve was dressed in a full suit and tie and was carrying a United States flag. As the businessman brought Steve a glass of water, Steve went on to explain that he was waiting for the funeral procession of a fallen soldier from a nearby town to travel north on the interstate. He wanted to stand and salute as the procession passed by, but the heat was so intense he needed a few moments of relief. Steve rested a short spell, but hurried back to his post on the roadside in the direct sunlight of midday. He stood there - quiet, solemn, still, patient, reverent - for the better part of two hours. The businessman stood in the shop windows watching and wondering if he should call Steve back in to the comfort of air conditioning. All he knew about Steve was his name and the fact that he belonged to League City United Methodist Church of League City, Texas. He was so moved by the steadfast convictions of this young man that he picked up the phone, and, with a lump in his throat, made the call to the church office. The gentleman told of how Steve's unwavering resolution to give honor to one he did not know, despite the unbearable heat, stirred his heart and he simply had to tell someone. Thus the story began its journey, its mission, its purpose of proving that God’s movement among us happens in the most unique ways. Steve's natural order of living his life as a Christian and a representative of his church became a testament of faith to this business man, who passed his impression to the church office assistant, who then relayed the story to me. As soon as I heard them, the words traveled from my ears to my heart and flowed out of my hands onto my keyboard to be shared with everyone.

One never knows the thumbprint we leave on the lives of others as we walk through our daily routines. As for myself, I find that I am constantly moved by the actions of this fine young man. Steve’s devotion to God and to his church is apparent in his every word and step. His sense of humor is a never ending joy. The fact that he is unashamed to stop, close his eyes and say, “Thank you, Jesus.” for the least little thing, whether it be in public or in private, keeps me humbly reminded of how I should strive to be. He loves to hear stories of good deeds, reports of restored health for friends and loved ones, and he feels genuine pain and angst when learning of loss, illness or hardship. Steve takes absolute delight in giving, and yet he is amazed when he is the recipient of gifts. His list of friends includes the names of famous baseball athletes and television stars, and yet he thinks nothing of his ties to such worldly greatness. Rather than promoting his personal connection to celebrities, he takes pride in telling how these persons of importance give their time to worthy causes for children dealing with illness - something close to Steve's own heart as a survivor of cancer and a stroke at a very young age. Steve’s honesty and candor are his shield against the harsh realities of our world. His trust and love of his fellow man make up his sword which cuts through the barriers of life that I could not imagine facing. Steve is the kind of person who inspires good thoughts and works of us. He prompts us to reflect on our own lives. But Steve would be the last person to lay claim to his title of disciple. If Steve Jones had lived in Christ's time, Jesus would have reached for his hand and said, “Truly, you are an example of going forth in faith. ”

I will be enternally grateful to God for the gift of Steve Jones to this world. I hope his story leads readers to look around them to find the 'Steves' in their midsts. These friends are jewels God has sprinkled upon the earth for us to cherish. While they don't always shine as bright as other, more perfect, gem stones, and they may not be cut to the precise specifications we often expect, their value is far beyond measure.