You stand amidst the wreckage of your house. It's flattened. Nothing is left standing, not one brick on another. You're unable to take it all in so you just stand there, for who knows how long, numb and confused by the destruction.
At the street curb a man in a suit and tie holding a clipboard shouts,"I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!" The first thing that goes through your mind is, "Doesn't take long for the buzzards to start circling! Not a moments rest for the weary!" You get so angry with the man that you grab a stick and chase him back to his car and he drives off.
The next day the man is back! "I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!"
"Boy, this guy is really desperate!" you think. Today you just ignore him and go about your business but he doesn't leave. In fact he watches all day occasionally repeating his cry. Over the next few days he haunts your property. Sometimes you chase him off, sometimes you let him stay. Finally, overwhelmed by the cleanup, you relent and step over to talk to the man.
"Your pretty tenacious," you say.
"Well, I really need this account and I know I can help you." he says so matter-of-factly that you believe him.
He copies down your info on his clip board and says, "I've got a few more accounts to see today and if you wouldn't mind riding with me we can talk on the way?" It would be nice to take a break from the ruins of your house so you agree. Along the way you two discuss what happened and how. It feels so good to talk to someone that it just spills out of your mouth before you even realize you're pouring out your life to a total stranger! But he's a good listener and what else do you have to lose, you think.
At the next appointment you see a woman sitting in the destruction that was once a mobile home. She's sobbing uncontrollably and you feel so bad that without thinking you navigate through the debris over to her. The smell of alcohol is strong on her and she is noticeably intoxicated. As you try to console her you hear the all too familiar voice say, " I can help you rebuild if you give me a moment of your time!"
In a flash the woman turns on you with a look of betrayal in her eyes and screams, " Get outa' here you filthy leaches. How dare you prey on those who are down and out!" She chases both of you back to the car and peel off.
"Well that was uncalled for!" you say thinking, " I was only trying to help." Then you remember you did the same thing to the guy sitting next to you a couple of days ago and you feel ashamed. "By the way," you state annoyingly," Aren't you supposed to be helping me!?"
"I've got a few more stops to make but we'll get you what you need," he says without a hint of bother from what just happened.
More stops, some to fallen houses, some to those still standing. Sometimes the man offers help rebuilding or other times offers insurance against catastrophe. Most people politely refuse but a few accept. And for those individuals you can almost see the weight lifted from their shoulders. The gratitude for offered help comes as such a relief that you finally see the appeal of this man's job. Most of the time it's hard, unrewarding, and often dangerous! work.
The man drops you off back at "home" that evening. "So, you think you can get me a check or something?" you ask.
"I'll be in touch," he replies cryptically. "How about I swing by tomorrow to see how your doing?"
"Great," you say rather rudely and head over to your heap to see about sleeping arrangements.
The next morning you wake up and the man is waiting for you at the curb. "Hungry? Want some breakfast?"
"Starving," you reply.
After breakfast you agree to accompany the man on more accounts, desperate to avoid your own cleanup. And so it goes over the following weeks that you two, sometimes joined by others, travel all over assisting in his work. You know you can't mooch off this guy forever so you start cleaning off your foundation a little bit each night. And it's about time you found a job too! You resolve to quit putting off what you know needs to be done.
The very next day your friend, you can honestly call him a friend by now, offers you a position at his company! "You've been riding with me for long enough that you know what to do," he says with a smile.
"But, I don't even know what you do other than take down their info on that clipboard!" you realize as you say it.
"Just refer them to me, that's all you have to do." he states simply. You've been on enough accounts to know that it sounds easy enough but often times it's not!
"What do you do for these people?" you ask curiously because so far you haven't gotten anything from this man. It dawns on you that it hasn't bothered you that he's done nothing to help you rebuild. Each day has kept you busy enough that you haven't even noticed you live in squalor. At least you got the foundation cleared off, you think, so you're no longer surrounded by worthless junk.
"Let me show you something," he says. He takes you back home and as you pull up you see that a brand new house stands complete upon your lot! Once again you stand completely at a loss for words.
"I always deliver on my promises. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll talk about company policy and procedures," the man says with a wink and drives off.
You're in total awe at what this man has done for you.
You appreciate the house, but the more you walk around in it you realize it doesn't matter that much. You just can't wait to get started tomorrow, and bring help to those who need it.
This is story of God's love and power. Amen.
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