The young pastor walked into the room and looked around. The walls were painted white which made the wood grain desks stand out all the more. They stretched all the way across the front of the room and the name of each of the county commissioners was posted in front of their seat. There were probably enough chairs set out for the audience to seat thirty people. With only five minutes before the meeting started the room held fifteen people, talking and paying no attention to this young pastor standing at the door.
The pastor walked to the front row where a chair had been designated for him. Out of all the pastors in the county, many of whom had been preaching far longer than he had, the commissioners had asked him to lead a prayer at the end of the meeting. Not knowing if he should stand in a corner, walk around and meet people or just sit in his chair and act like he was working on his cell phone. Feeling out of his league, he took his seat and trying not to be noticed, he looked around the room at everyone. He wondered why they were there, were they wealthy business people or were they concerned parents? With that thought, he said a silent prayer to God that he would be able to share hope with those in the room.
About that time and elderly man came over to the pastor and sat down. This older gentleman was probably in his eighties, his shirt was plaid and his pants were held up by suspenders. His glasses were smudged and his hair was a wiry white. This elderly man sat down and faced forward, offering no greeting and even though the pastor was the only person on the front row, this man sat in the chair next to him. The pastor could smell the aftershave of this man and taking note of his cold, hard demeanor, the pastor resolved himself to the fact that there would be no light hearted conversation between the two.
The commissioners meeting came to order and they began talking about the business at hand. The pastor struggled to keep focused on the meeting but found his mind wondering to all the things that needed to be done at home and what programs were getting ready to take place at the church. He was excited about the opportunity to pray at this meeting but if he were honest, the pastor would have rather been at home with his wife and his new little baby boy. About half way through the meeting the elder gentleman leaned over to the pastor and whispered in his ear, “How does it feel to have a leader in the KKK sitting beside you?” The pastor was taken aback. His mind rushed trying to think of how to reply but to no avail. It was now clear to see that this man had purposefully chosen his seat next to the pastor in an effort to intimidate him. It was working! The pastor said nothing, wishing someone would pull the fire alarm and get him out of there but they both sat there silent and motionless. The pastor could feel his palms start to sweat as he began to pray and seek God for wisdom.
As the pastor silently prayed a peace seized his heart and a burden to share the Gospel with this older man gripped him. The pastor leaded over to the man and whispered, “Do you believe in God?” The older man, laughed, causing his shoulders to bounce. He looked at the pastor; his eyes were stone cold, and his beard stubbly. “There is no God, only fools,” he whispered in a raspy voice.
The pastor leaned over again and asked, “What would have to happen for you to believe in God?” The old man thought for just a second and then leaned back over and said, “For you to drop dead right now.” With that the conversation came to a quick halt. The pastor thought about what the older man had just said. “What a nasty old man. What a bitter and wicked man he is! He has come to this meeting just to taunt me and intimidate me!” The pastor could feel his face starting to turn red as his body temperature began to rise. He was getting madder and all of a sudden God’s voice pierced the pastor’s heart, as He said, “I love this man too.”
The pastor knowing that the meeting was about to come to a conclusion and his allotted time to pray for the commissioners was soon to commence, he leaned over one last time to the older man and whispered, “If it pleases God to take me home so that you will believe, so be it, but if I’m not alive for it, you will have to say a prayer at the end of this meeting.” With that, the pastor turned back in his seat and waited for whatever was to come.
The meeting was concluded one of the commissioners, a middle aged man in a red tie and white dress shirt, began to introduce the young pastor and asked him to please come and pray before everyone headed home. To everyone’s surprise the young pastor did not move, his eyes were closed and his head was bowed. The older man nudged him but with no response. The young pastor had stopped breathing, God had taken him home.
People began to rush around and give orders to call 911. Everyone watched in horror as they checked his pulse and declared his heart was not beating. The emergency team showed up and tried to revive the young pastor but nothing could be done, it was over.
The older gentleman was in disbelief! In fear, he had backed himself into a corner of the room. Not that someone might have overheard their conversation and accuse him of something but in fear that God would be angry and strike him down next. During his long life he had seen many things, terrible things. He had been threatened and attacked but never had he been as scared as he was at that moment. He watched, paralyzed, as the emergency team put the pastor on a stretcher and wheeled his body out of the room.
With his back against the wall, the older man began to shake, what had he done? What was happening? In that moment the words of the pastor came to mind, “If it pleases God to take me home so that you will believe, so be it, but if I’m not alive for it, you will have to say a prayer at the end of this meeting.” The older man slumped into a chair and searching for words he began to cry. “I’ve been a fool God, and now it has cost this young man his life. Forgive me please.”
And so it was, that the meeting ended with a prayer.
What about you? Would you offer up your life so that another might believe? “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
