Tony doesn’t know my name
He works at a neighborhood grocery store
Tony is a wonderful example of a human being
He is kind and understands suffering
Tony was at the register one day
He asked how I was doing
When you’re going through something,
that question can be hard to answer
I couldn’t answer
Instead, tears fell from my eyes
I couldn’t talk and just shook my head no
Tony asked if he could give me a hug
I was surprised for a second and then shook my head yes
So, he came around to the other side of the counter and embraced me
He said we all feel that way sometimes
and other niceties I can’t remember exactly
But I remember the sentiment
Tony is often there when I go to shop
He has long forgotten that day but I reminded him
That particular day, I thought I was losing my house
that I had worked so hard to keep afloat
It never happened
I told Tony the end of the story about three years later,
which was that I finally sold my house
He gave me flowers that day
Such a nice guy, such a compassionate soul
I touched on God once during one of our brief conversations
He mentioned he hoped he would someday be solid on who God was
and that he would find his purpose, the full meaning of his life
Introduction to God is possible,
But realizing who God is, who Jesus is,
is not something another person can give you
That knowledge comes from God Himself
The gospel is difficult to understand in this world
because we have taken its many parts
and confused them with the worldly desires,
those things that humans value,
which are often very different from God’s purposes for us
When Jesus called people to follow Him, some did and some didn’t,
some didn’t want to give up their life
and some found Jesus to be worthy to follow
no matter what they decided to leave behind
We have to listen to hear what He is saying to us, to each of us,
He requires us to give things up to follow Him
Nobody else can tell you what that is
It’s usually a hard choice
Because we cling to the things we are comfortable with
and are not always open to living for someone else,
even if it is for God Himself
Listen to His call on your life
He has something much better than you can ever imagine
Jesus has a better way, a way that will bring you close to Him,
to help you fulfill your destiny, your purpose
Here is one example in scripture where Jesus asked a man
to give up his world and follow Him:
Now as He was going out on the road, one came running,
knelt before Him, and asked Him,
“Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”
So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good?
No one is good but One, that is, God.
You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery,’
‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’
‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’
”And he answered and said to Him,
“Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.
”Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him,
“One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have
and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.
”But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions. Mark 10:17-22
The rich young ruler wasn’t willing to give up his world for Jesus
He was sad about it, but not willing to give up what it would take
You have to wonder how many people Jesus calls like that, is it everybody?
Or some? Do all get the same opportunity?
To choose Jesus or the world we know and love?
I don’t know the answer to that but I do know that if He does call,
it is best to answer
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Romans 11:29
I suspect He doesn’t call everyone the same way,
so if He does call you, it would be important to listen
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:15
Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 16 they could not know who He was
by way of human understanding
His word contains every thing we need to realize who He is
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6
Jesus Himself said, All things have been delivered to Me by My Father,
and no one knows the Son except the Father.
Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,
and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:27
Simply put, that means, He has to show you who He is…Ask Him