Lambs Among Wolves

Luke 10:3

“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Mid January of 2007, I was sitting in church on Saturday night.  During our closing reflection time, God told me to read Luke 10 again.  I was stunned.  I asked God, “what in the world for?  I have read it umpteen times.  What more could I glean from this passage?  I had already gotten so much out of it.”  But, I had learned the importance of obedience and sat down and read it again.  This time, “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” jumped right off the page at me.  “Why are you showing me this?  I am safe in my neighborhood.  Nothing has happened to me.”  I had this sense of security in my neighborhood.  I was confident…possibly over confident.

Even Everett, one of my new-found friends, assured me that I was safe.

I was walking home one night from Cindy and Billy’s house, just a short 2 blocks away, when Everett snuck up on me on his bike.  I gave a quiet scream…and fussed at him, “You nearly scared me to death!  Don’t ever do that again.”  Everett quickly said, “No one is going to mess with you.  You’re a child of God.”  You see, Everett and I had never talked about the Lord.  Everett was my handyman.  He was the one who cut my grass, shoveled my snow, raked my leaves.  Everett is a guy who chose to live in a make-shift shed between 2 bushes behind someone’s house. He picks up odd jobs to help pay for batteries, kerosene, candles, and meals.  (Side note, Everett now not only completes odd jobs for me, he is also my friend and brother in Christ.  We often share breakfast together on Saturday or Sunday mornings.  All the while, talking about the goodness of God and listening to Bobby Jones Gospel.  He’ll come over and watch a football game with me and the kids…and now Louis.  It serves a two-fold purpose.  He’s warm…and he gets to watch the game.  He still struggles  with what life on the street brings, as he was stabbed in 2007 and spent weeks recovering.  But, he continues to Praise the Lord.  You will hear more about Everett in the future.)

OK…back to that January night at church.  Amazing…that is all I can say.  I was on my way home from church that night after reading Luke 10 again, and I decided to check my voicemail.  I had several messages, as it turned out, from my neighbors.  The messages came at the very time the Lord told me to read Luke 10…again.   I had finally gotten a ‘new to me’ car, and my old car sat on the street while I waited for a copy of the title.  Four windows of this car, which was sitting by my house, had been shot out.  God had prepared me for the news.  Praise God!  As I listened to the messages…I just laughed.  Normally, I would have been angry or scared.  But, I knew that God was in control.  My reaction was so much different from it would normally be.  My neighbors were at my house when I got there.  Everett quickly volunteered to sweep up the glass (for free, this time!)  We believe that it wasn’t an intentional attack, but more than likely kids playing.  But, it was still a bit unsettling.

I had not yet told my parents about my car, because I didn’t want them to worry.  About a week or so later, I was visiting Mom and we were chatting in the bedroom.  Mom began to cry as she shared with me her worried for my safety.  That Micah (one of the pastors at her church) had preached a sermon a few weeks earlier where she became overwhelming concerned for me.

In Matthew 14:22-36…Jesus MADE the disciples get on the boat…and go ahead of him…knowing that rough seas…rough times were ahead.  And that He would be glorified.  That Peter’s faith (and all who watched!) would be increased.  Mom cried as she shared this Word with me.  That…the Lord would PUSH me on to the “boat”…my faith and others’ faith would be increased!  That God would be glorified in the end.  Mom had shared…that as my mom she wanted me to move out the neighborhood, but as my sister in Christ…she encouraged me to stay because she knew that God was in control and He would be glorified.

But, I am getting a little ahead of myself.  I knew that Satan didn’t like what was happening in SBH, when the ongoing attacks started in late December of 2006.  It was a good Word of encouragement from my Mom.  I am thankful that she loves Jesus and brought me up in the ways of the Lord.