Connections

I (Tom) have had the privilege of being able to post more on our blog lately. Sue typically has done a lot of our family blogging but these days she uses her free time towards making up on sleep or helping a baby who does not sleep at night or helping a child who is skipping nap time.

As I have been writing I've remembered our little tagline "a view into the life of a growing family."  Now I know everyone prefers cute pictures of the grand kids (and rightfully so) but a big part of our life revolves around our home life and ministry.

One of the places I am able to serve is at the Savannah Regional Youth Detention Center.  I've been teaching a Bible study there for a couple years now.  When I got to YDC this week one of the young men in my Bible study, Dante, was convinced he knew me from somewhere.  Other guys were trying to convince him that he just knew me from previous weeks but he was convinced he knew me from somewhere else but what was the connection?

Meanwhile, another guy says, "Yeah, I know you.  You go to church on 69th Street", which is true.  He knows me from our Cross Culture ministry because several of his cousins are regulars at church. One connection made.

Another time, while training for the half marathon, I was running across a local overpass.  It was completely dark and this young man walks by me just over the bridge. After I pass him he turns around and yells for me to stop.  While I slowly keep jogging away he says, "Aren't you the preacher man?"  I tell him I'm not but he's convinced I'm a pastor - and he mentions YDC.  I then remember him from when he was locked up, talk to him for a minute, invite him to church, then run the rest of the way home. Seemingly random connections.

Anyway, back to the present - At YDC this week we spent about an hour talking about who Jesus is. We talk about the person of Jesus from history, the claims about him in the Bible, what he says about himself in the Bible, and what others today say about who Jesus is.  Then I get to the question that Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say I am?"  Various guys have different answers, funny answers, practiced church answers, and then Dante says, "He's a myth, he never existed."  We talk about the record of history (even outside of the faith) and the evidence for the existence of Jesus but he is undeterred.  He then starts struggling with the idea of a good God who would allow evil to exist and he questions the idea that anyone can stop doing wrong - himself included.  We talk a little while longer, read some more, and then out of nowhere he says, "I know where you live."

He called out our street, our car, our dog, and our kids.  So I ask him where he stays at and how does he know us.  He says, "You fixed my bike, me and my cousin's - the fat one." Yes, kids really do have a way with words but then I remembered him (and his cousin). 

A couple years ago I helped some kids move a basketball hoop a couple blocks down the street. Then I went back to the house to get some tools and I came back to help fix their bikes.  Dante was probably 11 or 12 at the time.  Now he's 14 and locked up.  While Dante doubts the reality of a Jesus he cannot see he cannot deny the simple, tangible action of a friendly neighbor. 

Sue and I sometimes have moments when we question why we live in the neighborhood we do and whether we are having any impact on the community around us. But I am amazed at the connections that God allows us to make in our day to day lives.  None of us ever see the whole puzzle of what God is doing but it is such a blessing to get even a small glimpse of the connections. Not for our glory, but for His.