Encounter at the salad bar
Jim Bramlett
May 10, 2004

 
Dear friends:

Yesterday I shared the below experience with only a few friends but was not sure the Lord wanted me to share it with my whole list. But after "waiting" on Him for direction, I now believe that He does.

It is nothing I did, but something He did, and I believe he wants to use it as an example. The message He wants emphasized is that, if you have not already done so, IT IS NOW TIME TO SET ASIDE TIMIDITY AND STEP OUT WITH
HOLY GHOST BOLDNESS AND THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST IN THE PUBLIC ARENA, WHERE
THE PEOPLE ARE.

The hour is late. If you are ever going to be bold for the Lord, the time is now.

Jim
____________________

The other day I went to the Farm Fresh grocery store to get something from their excellent salad bar to take home.

After picking up a plastic container, I noticed that one of those motorized carts was blocking my way to the items I wanted. In the cart was an old black man. I suddenly sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to speak to him. So I said, "What's it like to ride in one of those things?" maybe a dumb question but all I could think of at the time.

He replied that it helped him, because he was very weak from a dialysis treatment he had just had 20 minutes earlier. I asked an obvious but another dumb question, "Are you having kidney problems?"

"I don't have any kidneys," he responded. He then clarified that he really did have his kidneys but they were not working, and that he has three dialysis treatments each week. He seemed like a nice old man. (I use the term "old" advisedly, as he was probably younger than I am, but I don't see myself as that old, nor do I think old.)

I sensed the compassion of Jesus welling up inside of me, and that Jesus wanted to bless him. Then I remembered that we are Christ's body on earth -- His hands, feet, mouth, etc. -- and that He works through His willing vessels. I made a sudden decision to be His vessel at the salad bar that day.

So I stepped out in faith and said to him, "May I pray for you?"

Right away he said "yes." So there at the salad bar I laid my hand on his shoulder and out loud prayed a blessing over him, and prayed for healing and strength to come into him, in Jesus' name.

In years past I would have been too timid, but the Holy Spirit gives us boldness. The Bible says that I am Christ's ambassador, so who am I to fear? The devil tries to quieten and prevent our work for Jesus, but we don't have to let him.

The old man seemed very touched. He looked up at me, smiled, thanked me, and said, "I'm a deacon in my church." That was his way of saying that he was a believer too.

He was so blessed that I could hardy get away from him, as he just kept on talking.

I was reminded that being ambassadors for Christ is not something we do just inside a church building, but in our everyday world, as we encounter people with needs. We must be full of Christ's compassion, His Spirit, and His boldness. His boldness comes from being "filled with the Spirit"? which is a command in Ephesians 5:18, and a common experience in the first century church, where power and boldness came on (or "upon") the believers.

I suspect that old black man tells everyone about his encounter with a white man at the salad bar, and how he got prayed for in public. I also believe he was blessed and will experience an answer to the prayers.

Jim
 
 

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