Being Obedient
She said to me, “I have this tattoo on my arm because I’m tired of people judging me! Only God can judge me!”
I met a young woman and her husband today…and I almost missed a blessing. You see, they were standing on the side of the road, next to a stop sign, in a busy place. They had a sign that said something like, “Homeless family. Need kindness” At the bottom of the sign it read, “Thank you. God bless.”
Now I don’t know about you, but we stopped. DA pulled the bike over and he began to ask them questions about why they were standing there. The husband told how they had been evicted from their home, he lost his job, they had 2 little boys, etc. His wife stood there crying. They were truly humbled & it bothered them to be standing there. I could clearly see that. But when DA started to talk to them about Jesus, their faces lit up just a bit. Then hers fell. That’s when she said what she did about the tattoo on her forearm. And that’s when I should have ministered to her….but I hesitated.
DA ministered to the husband, gave him a little blessing of some cash, and we rode on. And let me tell you God got a hold of me and I could NOT sit still on that motorcycle! We got on the interstate and fortunately there was another exit that would take us back around, so I motioned for DA to get off the highway. Being obedient to the Lord too, he did. I told him to take me back, and he did.
When I got back to the couple, I asked the young woman her name. Beth. I said to her, “Beth, you’ve been hurt by people before haven’t you?” She started to cry. She said, “by men.” She also told me that she wouldn’t go to church anymore because people judge her because she has tattoos. The one on her forearm says, “Only God can judge me.” I pushed up my sleeve and showed her mine. Then I did something I’ve never done before. I asked Beth if I could pray for her. She was all too excited for me to, so there we stood, holding hands, and me praying for this precious child of God!
Last week I would not have done that. I would have been in Beth’s place. Hurting, beaten down, feeling as if no one cared, feeling as if everyone is judging me. But God delivered me from that, and I passed that on to Beth. God will heal her. God will use her. And she will go on to help others in need.
I’m not looking for praise. I’m telling you this because there are hurting women everywhere you look. They are as close as your back yard. They are in your church. They are in the grocery store. They are everywhere! I encourage you today, to look at a person’s heart. Don’t look at what they’re wearing. Don’t look at what they’re driving. The Lord told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” (HCSB) I encourage you today to see the heart of those around you. Ask the Lord to send someone your way whom you can encourage and minister to. When He does…pay attention! Get out there and do it! No excuses. Because you may not get a second chance.
“And the King will answer them, “I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for me.” ~Matthew 25:40 (HCSB)
