I like short stories, but this one is a bit complicated, and it began 17 years ago, so bear with me…
It was dusk, and one house away from our home René, while driving slowly, hit 14-year-old Sergio who was riding a moped without a headlight. Sergio died at the scene. René lived with the pain.
Fast forward to 2012. Sergio’s brother Omar, who was twelve at the time of his brother’s death, comes to know Christ.
Over the past few years, Omar has gone to Bible school, was expelled (for good reasons), refused to stay down on the mat and returned the following year. He did things right, graduated, and now at 29 is a young man with a huge heart for God.
He is part of our church team and, among other things, runs the men’s ministry. On Tuesdays he accompanies me to Bible school and sits in on the class.
Fast forward to yesterday…
As we were looking at forgiving and forgiveness in Matt’s gospel, Omar raised his hand to tell the story of the accident, and how he—as a 12 year old—vowed that one day he would kill René. He lived with that anger, anxious for the opportunity to present itself. The years passed but Omar never saw René again.
Then Marcos and Veronica’s house caught fire, the roof needed replacement, and René was one of the men working on it. After the structural part was replaced, we needed more hands with hammers to do the shingling. Omar came on board and was surprised to run into René up there. He quickly remembered his old vows and immediately realized all those bitter and vengeful thoughts had been washed away with his new birth.
He chatted with René, Omar was his normal big-hearted, warm and friendly self. At day’s end, René gave Omar a ride home. And from that point on, whenever and wherever they have crossed paths, it has been as friends.
Omar’s telling of the story, yesterday, was moving, and really put a face on what Jesus had been saying in Matthew’s telling.
Leaving Bible class yesterday, Omar had to get home on time for the 7 p.m. men’s meeting. Out of the blue, guess who showed up for the first time ever, to a men's meeting?
Yep, you guessed it.
René.
No coincidences.
God is at work.
Serving the living God, I tell ya, it’s an adventure. It’s the only way to live!