Is Jesus Shining Through You

Recently our church adopted a new mission statement to define what Christ wants us to be and to do. It reads: “The mission of the Colusa Presbyterian Church is to know Jesus Christ as the Savior and to make Him known to the world as we walk alongside one another in truth and love.”

We recognize that a part of what we need to do in order to make Christ known to the world will involve the clear communication of the good news about what Jesus accomplished in dying for us. But we also recognize that a major way in which we can make Christ known to the world is by letting His love and joy and goodness shine through our lives.

In the book Messy Spirituality, Michael Yaconelli shares a story about Christ shining through a person’s life:

Every month, the youth group at River Road Church held a church service at Holcomb Manor, a local nursing home. When a flu epidemic depleted the youth group’s sponsors one month, Daryl agreed to go along.

Yaconelli writes,

“During the service, Daryl felt awkward and out of place. He leaned against the back wall, between two residents in wheelchairs. Just as the service finished and Daryl was thinking about a quick exit, someone grabbed his hand. Startled, he looked down and saw a very old, frail, and obviously lonely man in a wheelchair. What could Daryl do but hold the man’s hand?

“As everyone began to leave, Daryl realized he didn’t want to leave the old man. Daryl had been left too many times in his own life. Caught somewhat off-guard by his feelings, Daryl leaned over and whispered, ‘I’m … uh … sorry, I have to leave, but I’ll be back. I promise.’ Without warning, the man squeezed Daryl’s hand and then let go. As Daryl’s eyes filled with tears, he grabbed his stuff and started to leave. Inexplicably, he heard himself say to the old man, ‘I love you,’ and he thought, Where did that come from?”

Month after month, Daryl went back and held Oliver Leak’s hand. On his sixth visit, Mr. Leak was missing, so Daryl went to find him. Oliver Leak was lying in his bed, near death. Daryl held Mr. Leak’s hand until the Youth Group was leaving. Then Daryl told Mr. Leak, “I’m sorry, Oliver, but I have to go. I love you.” At that, Mr. Leak squeezed Daryl’s hand. In tears, Daryl stumbled toward the door where he nearly bumped into a young woman - Mr. Leak’s granddaughter - who had been waiting to meet him. Mr. Leak’s granddaughter said to Daryl,

“When the doctors said he was dying, I came immediately. We have always been very close. They said he couldn’t talk, but he’s been talking to me. Not much, but I know what he is saying. Last night he woke up. His eyes were bright and alert. He looked straight into my eyes and said, ‘Please say goodbye to Jesus for me,’ and he lay back down and closed his eyes.

“He caught me off guard, and as soon as I gathered my composure, I whispered to him, ‘Grandpa, I don’t need to say goodbye to Jesus; you’re going to be with him soon, and you can tell him hello.’

“Grandpa struggled to open his eyes again. This time his face lit up with a mischievous smile, and he said as clearly as I’m talking to you, ‘I know, but Jesus comes to see me every month, and he might not know I’m gone.’ He closed his eyes and hasn’t spoken since.

“I told the nurse what he’d said, and she told me about you, coming every month, holding Grandpa’s hand. I wanted to thank you for him, for me … and, well, I never thought of Jesus as being as chubby and bald as you, but I imagine that Jesus is very glad to have you be mistaken for him. I know Grandpa is. Thank you.”

When we come alongside others in truth and in love, Jesus shines through - and we, too, may be ‘mistaken’ for Jesus!

Tom Tripp may be reached via email at tomtripp@frontiernet.net.