Today was a special day. But to give it some context, I have to tell you about my dimes. I've carried one with me every day during this project. It goes back to a time several months ago where I felt God pulling hard at me to help a woman whose car had stalled in the middle of a busy street downtown. I drove past her at first and then circled around the block to where she was stuck. At that point, I pulled a dime from my car, thinking I would stick it in the parking meter while I helped her. I took the dime, but I walked right past the meter.
I helped the woman out of the street -- and forgot about the dime. But the next day when I was getting dressed, it fell out of the pocket of the pants I had worn the day before. I never have money, so I stared at it there on the floor for a long time, wondering where it came from. And then I remembered. To me, it was God's reminder to me of what I'd done, and an encouragement to do more. So every day I carry a dime in my pocket, and as I search out people to talk to about God, I usually have it in my hand.
Today for some reason, I reached into my pocket and found two dimes. My thought then was, "Well, maybe I'll be talking to two people today." It was another one of those days where I worked hard in the office, only to find myself needing to go home, but also needing to witness in some way to somebody. So I started my route through Old Town, keeping my eyes open.
He was standing in front of the Hotel at Old Town -- fast becoming a familiar place to me -- and he was waiting for someone. It was clear he was a businessman. He was about 50 years old, balding and wearing sunglasses and business attire. I took the opportunity. "Sir," I said, "Can I ask you a question?" He said that I could. "Can I pray for you?" He took a little half step back and looked at me, both surprised and excited. "You're the second person who's asked me about Jesus!" he exclaimed. He proceeded to tell me that he was in Minnesota recently and a man had walked up and asked if he'd been "saved by Jesus Christ." The businessman said that he had been saved, but that he had strayed. So the man in Minnesota prayed for him.
And here I was. We both marveled there at it for a minute. I could tell this was a smart guy in front of me, just by the way he spoke and the confidence in his voice. He told me his uncles both were Baptist ministers, "so I always take time out for you guys," he said. I responded that God must be trying to get his attention. He didn't say anything to this, but he agreed to let me pray for him.
As we were standing there talking, and before I prayed, a younger man -- also in business wear -- walked up to us out of a nearby parking garage. I took him to be the businessman's escort in Wichita. And my new friend told him about this unusual turn of events. So when I prayed, I prayed for them both. Then we shook hands, and parted ways. The businessman was from Cincinnati. The younger man was from Kansas City.
As I walked away, I looked at the two dimes in my hand. Was it the two people? Or was it that I was second on the scene for this businessman? Maybe both. But what I do believe is that I was in the middle of God's activity today. I don't know what he has in store for that businessman, but I pray that he would wake up to the truth of God's calling and come back into a relationship with Him.
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