You Never Know Who
by Steve Martin
“In the
Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory
parade. Through us, He brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people
breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is
recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life.” (2 Corinthians
2:14-16 The Message)
Every weekday for the past two years I’d
arrive at the office building elevators around 6:40 am. The security person
sitting at the front desk would give a quick greeting, and I’d greet them back,
hit the “Up” button for the elevator, and ride to the 16th floor above
Tryon Street in Charlotte’s center city (uptown area). I didn’t think much
about it in greeting them. I try to at least say hi to people as I walk by.
Near the end of 2013, a new guy on the 3rd
shift was at the front desk. He said he started at 10 pm and left at 7 am each
morning, Tuesday through Friday. My guess he was 65 years or more in age. With
his black rimmed glasses, color coordinated nicely with his short, gray beard, along
with his matching gray hair and honest face, he reminded me of a good grandpa.
As I got to know him in the following months, he was - a good grandpa to his
eight year old granddaughter in town.
Mike and I would often talk about the
weather, what was happening uptown that week, being that was what I had going
while working with Charlotte Center City Partners, and of course, books. He
would let me know what he was reading, and then I started telling him what I
was writing. In time I helped add to his library, giving him copies of the
first two books I had authored and published, Ahava Love Letters and The
Promise.
In time, he started asking me questions
about messages I had written in the Ahava
Love Letters. I was glad to share further on my beliefs, the Lord’s work in
my life, and the path we each had gone on in our lives up to this point. We got
to know each other a little bit more as we talked each day.
In late February of 2014 he surprised me,
when I stopped again for a brief conversation.
That day he asked, “How long do you expect
to be here?”
I was a bit surprised, as I hadn’t said
anything to him about my future plans. My response, “As long as the Lord has me
on assignment here.” And then I asked him, “Why do you ask?”
“Well, in your book it seems that you are
not expecting this job to be where you will retire.”
“No, it is not,” I said. “In fact, when I
left my previous job as USA Director of Vision For Israel in July of 2010, to
start our own ministry, that was what I had expected to be
doing the rest of my life. And I only went back to an accounting job to pay the
monthly bills, as the newborn ministry got on its feet. I am here until I have
completed this assignment the Lord has me on also.”
“And what is that?” he slowly asked.
“To pay the bills,” I repeated, “but more importantly
to affect the lives of the people I work with here,” I stated.
“Well”, he again spoke, more slowly than
before, “when you came in for work the other day, I was going to say something
to you further, but you went up the elevator faster than I was hoping. I wanted
to tell you that, as in most lives, there are ups and downs (as he made the
motion with his hand of a straight line going up at a 90 degree angle, and then
brought his hand back down at a 90 degree angle), and then there are times in
your life when there are hills and valleys (moving his right hand up and down,
forming curves you’d associate as in an air drawing of hills and valleys.)
Sometimes you meet people that touch your life at the top of the hill. You are
one of those persons in my life.”
Wow, I thought to myself, and before I
looked too surprised, I said, “Thank you Mike. That is very nice of you.”
Before I started stammering further over
my words, totally not expecting this from him, I quickly added, “When you get
done with reading my book you have now, let me know. I will give you the next
one.”
He said, “Yes.”
So I walked over to the elevators, and again
hit the button to go to the 16th floor. As my body was rising up, my
spirit was rising too. Delighted to have imparted a piece of the Lord’s heart
to Mike, I continued the upward journey.
“Thank you Lord” were the words I spoke to
Him.
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People. Inc.
Uptown Charlotte - being a light.
(Photo by Steve Martin)
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit
USA humanitarian organization started in 2010 to share the love of the Father
in the nations.
If these letters minister to you,
please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each
month, to help us bless known families in Israel, whom we consistently help
through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions
receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.
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Box414 Pineville, NC 28134
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– Thank you very much.)
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Now Think On This #121 “You Never
Know Who” by
Steve Martin
Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (02.20.14)
Thursday at 8:00 am in Charlotte, NC).
All previous editions of Now Think On
This can be found on this Blog, and our newest website: Ahava Love Letters
