A lady named Beth was sitting in an airport terminal waiting to board a plane. She was sitting there with several other people who were also waiting. She did not know any of them.
As she waited, she pulled out her Bible and started reading. All of a sudden she felt as if the people sitting there around her were looking at her. She looked up, but realized that they were looking just over her head, in the direction right behind her.
She turned around to see what everyone was looking at. When she did, she saw a stewardess pushing a wheelchair. In the chair was the ugliest old man that she had ever seen before. He had this long white hair that was all tangled and was just a mess. His face was really, really wrinkled, and he didn't look friendly at all.
Beth didn't know why, but she felt drawn to the man. At first she thought that God wanted her to witness to him. In her mind she pleaded "Oh, God, please, not now, not here."
No matter what she did she couldn't get the man off of her mind and what she was to do. Then, all of a sudden she knew what God wanted her to do…she was supposed to brush this old man's hair!
She walked over and knelt down in front of the old man. She said to him, "Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"
He said, "What?"
She thought to herself, "Oh great, he's hard of hearing."
Again, a little louder, she said, "Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"
He answered, "If you are going to talk to me, you are going to have to speak up, I am practically deaf."
So then, almost yelling, she said, “Sir, may I please have the honor of brushing your hair for you?"
Everyone in the terminal was watching to see what his response would be. The old man just looked at her confused, and then said, "Well, I guess if you really want to."
She said, "I don't even have a brush, but I thought I would ask anyway."
He replied, "Look in the bag hanging on the back of my wheelchair; there is a brush in there."
So she got the brush out and started brushing his hair. As a mother who had a little girl with long hair, she had lots of practice getting tangles out. And, she knew how to be gentle with him. She worked for a long time until every last tangle was out.
Just as she was finishing up, she heard the old man crying. She knelt down in front of him and put her hands on his knees. As she looked directly into his eyes, she said, "Sir, do you know Jesus?"
He answered, "Yes, of course I know Jesus. You see, my bride told me she wouldn't marry me unless I knew Jesus. So I learned all about Jesus, and I asked Him to come into my heart many years ago before I married my wife.”
He continued, "You know, I am on my way home to see my wife. I have been in the hospital for a long time, as I had to have a special surgery in this town far from where I live. My wife couldn't come with me, because she is so frail herself."
He said, "I was so worried about how terrible my hair looked, and I didn't want her to see me looking so awful. I couldn't brush my hair all by myself."
Tears were rolling down his cheeks, as he thanked Beth for brushing his hair. He thanked her over and over again.
She was crying, people all around witnessing this had tears in their eyes as well. As they were all boarding the plane, the stewardess, who was also crying, stopped her and asked, "Why did you do that?"
And right there was the opportunity! The door that had been opened to share with someone else the love of God. We don't always understand God's ways, but be ready, He may use us to meet the need of someone else, like He met the need of this old man. And, in that moment He also called out to a lost soul who needed to know about His love.
- Author Unknown
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God's love is the only love that never falters and never fails. Take comfort in your faith and know that God truly loves you, now and forever.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 NIV
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them. 1 John 4:16 NIV
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 NIV
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NASB
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If you have a story that you think might bless others, I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.
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