All 9 days of my southeastern sabbatical were good but Tuesday was better. There were highlights: Florida weather, historic sites, times of laughter, Godly conversations, card games, a sunrise over the ocean, an awesome church, and memorable meals sprinkled throughout, but Tuesday was a string of Divinity. I find it humorous because Tuesday was the day I drove home. If you know anything about road tripping you know the day of return driving is usually not a trophy day. Between fading radio stations, endless fuel stops, fast food, and that bench-seat-bottom-soreness (in my truck anyways), the best adjective generally awarded is lackluster. Several less good adjectives are sure to cross the minds of driver and passengers alike.
But Tuesday was different. Tuesday was an adventure. Tuesday was unforgettable.
On my return drive, I decided (whimsically) to make a several-hour stop in Savannah. I had only visited there once previously and the time had been primarily spent sightseeing at the local college. After I found a parking spot on the edge of town, I hopped on my thrift shop bicycle and began to explore.
Side note: When I had left North Carolina for Florida, I brought this bike with the intention of riding it around Miami during a day trip, and then seeking out someone who could really use it. I did just that in Miami; the only problem was, the people I talked to didn’t want the bike. I walked up to two different guys living in a park who told me they already had bikes. WHAT?! I later met to a third guy who had been halfway napping so he could panhandle at night. After talking some I offered him the bike, but he told me he had no use for it. I don’t know if that means he already had a bike, he doesn’t ride a bike, he didn’t want this particular bike, it wasn’t his color preference, or what, but I said alright and told him to have a great afternoon.
Savannah was my last shot. In all the time in Savannah, no one stood out as the person who could use this bike. Of course, based on my previous encounters, maybe I wasn’t much for choosing. I looked for people while sitting in The Coffee Fox drinking a cup of John Wayne approved coffee, while walking down by the river, and the entire time I rode around. I was looking for a broke college student, a construction worker with a long walk, someone living on the streets, anyone who might feel rich for having a bike handed to them.
Nothing. I didn’t see anyone (That’s not entirely true, I saw a lot of people including one of my favorite high school history teachers and her family…I just didn’t see anyone I knew needed a pair of wheels for transportation).
A bit disappointed, I loaded the bike back into the truck, threw my shoes and socks in the passenger floor board, and decided to make one more lap through town before trekking my way home. I first went around the perimeter before making a pass down each one way street. I made multiple laps around some traffic circles (they were called squares?), while scanning the park-like areas in the middle for the unsuspecting beneficiary. Still nothing. I was on the last main street, feeling like it just wasn’t going to happen…
Then I saw him.
He was going trash can to trash can seeking out his treasure. He was banking on the remainder of a foot long sub or happy meal waiting for him just out of sight, an offering of sorts, left by an unknowing provider.
He was on foot. His clothes were tattered. His hair unkempt, much like my own. I set chase. The stop lights were against me; he was out of sight at one point. After several long minutes I caught up. There were no parking spaces so in a dramatic unfolding, I pulled up on the sidewalk/into the alley right in front of the guy. I didn’t mean to scare him.
I hopped out of the truck and said excitedly, “How are you!?”, like I often do with friends gone unseen for far too long. He said… “hi.” Looking back on this encounter, I see his nervousness was completely appropriate. I told him I had a bicycle for him if he wanted it. He said, “for me?” to which I responded, “Yes for you! I want someone to have it, and I want that someone to be you!” He said, “like, for free?” I told him absolutely for free. He thought he was on Candid Camera, or that April Fools had come early, or that I was a madman (not all wrong). I told him the bike in the bed of the truck was his. He didn’t want to reach into the truck to get it; I think he thought he was being set up as most things that seem too good to be true, generally are. I was so full of joy to have found this guy. I got the bike out of the truck and handed it to him. Then, he was ecstatic. He said his name was David and that this bicycle meant a whole lot to him, and that it was a really big deal. I told David that God loves him, and I love him, and I told him I hoped he would have an awesome week. Then he rode off into the sunset (figuratively). I wanted to buy him some food, but I think he was still skeptical as to what had just happened. I thanked God for placing David in my path, who not only accepted a small gift, but felt rich because of it.
As I was climbing back into the truck, I noticed there was a man in an apron out in the alley on his smoke break. His eyes were big. He took a deep draw, breathed out some smoke, and shouted “What did I just watch?” It was awesome. He saw me tell David he was loved, and he saw me hand David his new bike. This guy was struggling to put his words together. He said he hadn’t seen anything like that before. I left him the same way I left David, telling him that God loves Him greatly, I love him, and that I hoped he would have a great rest of the week.
I was thanking God as I was settling in for the monotonous 4.5 drive home. But wait, He had more.
I pass a guy on a bicycle on 17, coming out of Savannah. No big deal, people ride bikes places, right? Tell me what you are thinking: “Greg, you just love to make a big deal out of things that mean nothing.” I’ve heard it before a thousand times; only, this is a big deal. As I pass this cyclist, I see more than his orange reflective vest. As I pass, I see his face. It’s the face of Jeff. “Who is Jeff?” you might consider asking. Let me tell you.
Jeff is the guy I met at a McDonald’s in Titusville, Florida, 9 days earlier, about 300 miles downstream. I went to that McDonald’s to steal some Wi-Fi while drinking some coffee to take a break from driving. I went out of the way a little to get there. The Wi-Fi was down. I, being the person that I am, was ticked. Why had I just made an extra stop for nothing? God, being who He is (holy, sovereign, awesome), had a plan.
I grabbed a sandwich and headed to the truck. Jeff stopped me outside. We started talking, and he told me about his struggles with mental illness, anxiety, and depression. He shared with me that he has found joy in sharing Jesus with the people he interacts with while going on long bike rides, and that he was headed to Daytona. He would be riding his bicycle from Daytona Beach to Time Square in New York City. Jeff doesn’t go home, he goes big. He told me that he wants people to know that they are valued and loved by God, regardless of what they own, what they currently struggle with, or what they have done. He wants people to know there is greater gain in God, through Jesus, than in possessions. He wants to share joy, so that is what he does.
We had a meal together at that McDonalds, and we prayed together. It is a thing of beauty when the church is what the church is supposed to be: brothers and sisters in Christ doing God’s work on this earth by loving as Christ loves. We talked for about 40 minutes; having enjoyed our visit together, we said our goodbyes, expecting to see one another never again—this is the guy I passed on the bike, on 17, coming out of Savannah, at the same time I was leaving Savannah, the place I had not intended to go. And the timing for this to take place is just uncanny. If it hadn’t taken me as long as it did to find someone to give the bicycle to, I would not have seen Jeff again; you see, when I saw Jeff, he was just about to pass over 95, the interstate I turn on to head home. If this doesn’t make sense on paper, please give me a call, but I am hoping you will see why I choose not to believe in coincidence. These occurrences are not sheer happenstance, but the providence of God.
I pulled into the gas station. I cleared a seat, thinking Jeff might want to kick back for a few miles, cutting out the awful state of South Carolina (partially joking) from his adventure. He turns into the gas station waving a finger while saying, “I was pretty sure that was your profile in the white pickup.” We hugged like brothers. It was awesome. He remembered everything we had talked about 9 days prior. He asked me how my grandparents were doing, and if I had made it down to Miami. He noticed that my bicycle wasn’t in the truck, and I got to share that story with him. He showed me pictures from his week. I offered him a ride to NC, but he told me that once he starts out on something, all the miles go on the bike {RESPECT}. I was going to skip lunch and eat peanut butter and crackers in the truck, but there was a Subway right across the street. I was in no time crunch, so I asked Jeff if he wanted Subway. We headed that way; him on his bike, me in my truck.
While we were walking into the gas station Subway, 2 people approached Jeff and I; they were husband and wife, Rachel and Cody. They explained what’s been going on in their lives. They were picking up a friend who was in a bad way down in Savannah and bringing him home to West Virginia.
They needed gas. I meet people all the time that need gas. There have been times when I have needed gas. I told them, if I could talk with them for a few minutes and pray with them, I would go put some gas on a pump for them. I hardly had the words out of my mouth and Cody’s hands were already in prayer mode, and Rachel’s fingers were crossed…so I started to pray. I always like to pray so that people know they are loved, and so that the Gospel is preached through the prayer. I think that’s a good way for the Spirit to move. I like to discuss Jesus, the cross, and Him living again, and I pray that those I’m standing with will know Him and have relationship with Him. I prayed for provision along the rest of their trip, but more importantly for eternal provision. It was a good time of prayer. Jeff was there with us. When I said, “Amen,” we all embraced. They were extremely grateful. They left to pull their car over to the pump.
I went and put gas on the pump, and joined Jeff over in Subway, where we talked about what had just happened, and also how his week had been. He shared of his struggles with times of very little human interaction, and he shared of his victories. A Savannah restaurant owner had told Jeff he could sleep in front of his restaurant after hearing Jeff’s testimony. That night, a cop came up to Jeff and questioned what he was doing sleeping there. Jeff gave the cop the restaurant owner’s number, and the cop called him. Jeff didn’t have to get in any trouble or go find a different place to sleep; the restaurant owner had his back! The cop laughed and told him to enjoy his stay.
While Jeff and I were eating, we talked about how good God was to bring us together again. He talked about how he has been welcomed and loved by some churches he has tried to sleep at, and how he has been turned away and felt less than human at others. He talked about how we are all made to be social beings. Jeff isn’t ordinary, he’s not run of the mill; He is phenomenal. He is phenomenal because he knows Jesus, and wants to share what the treasure he has found.
While we were talking, Rachel walked up to our table and said she just wanted to say thank you again. She told me I saved the day. I don’t know about you, but any time a couple gallons of gas can save someone’s day, I want to be a daysaver. She had tears in her eyes as she told me that no one had cared what her and her husband had to say for a long time before I walked up. She thanked me for the prayer and I stood up and gave her a big hug. Are you beginning to see why this Tuesday was unforgettable?
More importantly, do you see how important Christ-like love is, in the world that we live in? It defies everything. It goes against our consumer mentality. It fulfills God’s law. It seems inconvenient to others. It does not fit the mold. It is not the natural way. Even a small dose can shake someone to the core. It seems too good to be true, because it points the way to the One who made a way for us, when there was no way. Let’s be a people of the cross. Let’s lay ourselves down. Let’s point others to Jesus with every day that we are given, every conversation, interaction, and moment that we are afforded; all for Him.
I have failed way too much. I have missed opportunities far too often. I have chosen the way of my flesh and have known it to be flat-out rejection of the cross, and worship of the very thing that required Jesus to go there. I don’t want that. I hate that. I want more Tuesdays. I want more “unforgettable.” I want more divine interaction. I want His Spirit to move through me. I want the people I encounter to feel an unwarranted love, because I desperately want them to know Jesus.
If we believe He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no man comes to the Father, God, except through Him, our living must be THE proclamation of this truth. Wake up church. Be the answer to prayer in the life of the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the beggar, the broken, the injured, the dying, the lost, the depressed, and the unloved, that are all over your community. They are there waiting; what are we waiting for? Stop playing the back pew sinner card. Stop sitting on the sidelines. We are all sinners. It doesn’t matter what row we sit in. We are either cleansed by the blood of Jesus and will act, or we need to call out to Him today. Who are we seeking to please? What is our purpose here?
If we live the abundant life that Jesus provides, not by way of many possessions or worldly accomplishments, but through moment by moment reliance on His Spirit, a lot more of our days will be unforgettable. At some point, the unforgettable will become the norm, and the impact of the Divine will be inexplicably vivid in our living. It will become very difficult to remember these countless unforgettable experiences (write them down!), because God has something new, something fresh, something worthwhile, every single day. For God, who is without limit, will not hold back His hand from those who seek His face, those who cry out to Him, those who lean on Him, those who walk by faith. Seek Him out.
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#LETMEINTRODUCEYOU 