Crazy Jack

I took the kids out last night while Janelle led a Bible Study with some of her high school girls.  Our plan was to go to a park and then stop at McDonalds for ice cream.  Lately I have been struggling with my "introvertedness" and feeling concerned about how much of a challenge it will be for me in church planting.

Satan loves to mess with us in our areas of weakness.  He loves to remind us, condemn us, and consume us with hopeless thoughts when it comes to our weaknesses.  The problem is there is always an element of truth in his lies.  I am weak at starting conversation, approaching people, etc.  It is true.  Guilty as charged.  But the good news is that in the Word of God Paul says, "I delight in weakness... because when I am weak, I am strong!"

We got to the playground and there was NO ONE there except for a stray teen or two wandering about.  No conversation possibilities... just time to play Star Wars with the kids.  Then we went off to McDonalds.  Before long, a guy sat down beside us and introduced himself as Crazy Jack.  Crazy Jack, as I soon found out, is perhaps the most talkative man in Springfield, Ohio.

Crazy Jack was a Navy Seal who fought in Vietnam.  His parents were German and Cherokee Indian.  He took his hat off so I could see his full head of hair.  He is getting 3 pensions... from Navistar, the Navy, and Social Security.  He is 64 and he can still lift 100 pounds over his head.  He even taught me a cool handshake.    

Somehow God came up in the conversation.  I am pretty sure Crazy Jack is not a Christian, but he said, "You can't do life without God."  And I had a brief moment to respond.  I told him that God is everything to me, he changed my life, he saved me, he transformed everything in my life.  And then we talked about rebuilding lawnmowers.

I left McDonalds reminded, "When I am weak, He is strong!"  I am horrible at conversations.  I am horrible at evangelism.  But God is really good at it.  And my weakness gives me a chance for him to show off, to show how strong He is.  I wish I would have said more to Crazy Jack about Jesus, but I am glad I said what I said.  

I told Micah on the way home, "This is what we are going to do when we church plant.  Just trust God to help us get into conversations like the one we just had with Crazy Jack."  Micah was super excited and told me how he convinced his friend the other day that God was better than Batman.

God is so good.  Our weaknesses are opportunities to trust Him.  He wants us to trust Him and rely on Him, and not have to have everything figured out.  Micah and I prayed for Crazy Jack tonight, that we'll get to see him again and eventually spend some time working on that handshake in heaven.