He was wearing a Harley-Davidson shirt. He had a ponytail. He was about 40, and was a little round. I knew I should talk to him, but I walked by him at first -- around the corner of the building and then back. By then he was no longer texting on his phone. He was just standing there, outside the Hotel at Old Town.
“Can I ask you a question?” I asked. He said I could, and I asked if I could pray for him. The usual pause followed, this one perhaps a little longer than normal. I was about to clarify my question when his face brightened a little bit, and he said, “Sure!” It was as if he let go of his inhibitions and thought he’d play along with this game I must be playing.
So I prayed for him, that God would bless him and come near him. My new friend smiled and crossed himself when I was done. A Catholic. He thanked me, and I asked where he was from. Brooklyn, he said. We talked a few more seconds. He was just in town “to hang out.” Then he stuck out his hand, and I shook it.
When I walked away, two things came to my mind. I could imagine him sitting over a beer with his friends that night, saying “I had this weird experience today. Some guy just walked up to me on the street and prayed for me.” That, I was sure, would be followed by a commentary about the weird guy who pulled that stunt. That’s OK. But I trust – I have faith – that he won’t find God weird at all.
The second thought was this: This project now has reached people from six states – Kansas, Missouri, California, Arkansas, Georgia and New York.
Scripture: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith.” Galations 6:9-10 (NLT)
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