I attended the Christian Book Expo in Dallas last weekend, and one of the speakers was Lee Strobel. He is one of the most engaging, passionate speakers I've ever heard. By the time I finished his breakout, I was ready to go share the gospel with the telephone pole, or anyone who would listen. I have two stories in particular that Mr. Strobel shared which yanked my heart out of my chest. I'm going to share one in this post, and reserve the other for when the Lord leads.
It's about the power of small groups open to reaching seekers with tough questions. In essence, they listen and love 'em into the Kingdom, with the Lord's leading of course. Lee Strobel includes this story in his upcoming book (of which I have an advance copy, (gasp)), The Unexpected Adventure. Maggie's story has been shared in various places on the internet, however, and maybe in another of Mr. Strobel's books as well.
Years ago, a young woman named Maggie began attending the Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago. She was a hurting soul who'd long stopped trusting that the God of the Universe existed, and especially that He loved her. As a child, she'd been deceived by inauthentic Christians. Abused by them, deeply scarred as a result.
But you know God's heart for those grasped in grip of grief. It wasn't long after Maggie joined a small group at the church just to spite Christians that she began to understand the love of God through the hands and feet of Jesus Christ--His church body. She wrote a letter to Pastor Strobel after attending these small groups for awhile, which I believe God intended for all disciples of Jesus to hear:
“Do you know, do you understand?
That you represent Jesus to me?
Do you know, do you understand
That when you treat me with gentleness,
It raises questions in my mind that
maybe HE is gentle too?
Maybe He isn't someone who laughs when I hurt.
Do you know, do you understand
That when you listen to my questions
and you don't laugh, I think,
'What if Jesus is interested in me too'?
Do you know, do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflicts and scars from your past, I think,
'Maybe I am just a regular person,
instead of a bad, no good little girl
who deserves abuse'?
If you care, I think 'maybe He cares—?'
And then there’s this flame of hope
that burns inside of me.
And for awhile, I am afraid to breathe,
because it might go out.
Do you know, do you understand,
that your words are His words?
Your face is His face to someone like me?
Please, be who you say you are,
please, God, don’t let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please!
Do you know, do you understand,
that you represent Jesus to me?"
Not long after sending Lee Strobel this poem, Maggie give her life to Christ. Praise God that the people in her small group understood that they represented Jesus to Maggie.
My first response when I heard Mr. Strobel tell this story was one of extreme regret. I'm sure the person beside me thought I was NUTS. I could hardly breathe, and my face was flooded teardrops of shame. I thought of all the ways that I have failed to represent Jesus to others.
Now that I've had time to pray about it, repent of legitimate convictions and let the Lord speak Truth to me, I still feel the gut-wrenching emotion from Maggie's letter, but my guilt is gone. I am stirred to respond instead.
And the place I'm starting is on my knees.
May I treat them with gentleness.
May I be more interested in them than I am about myself.
May I take their questions and doubts seriously.
May I take off the plastic, "I'm perfect" smile, and be authentic to them.
May I show them where I've found, and still find for that matter,
true healing from my scars, bumps and bruises.
May I give them a flame of Hope that won't go out--the One True Hope.
May my Words always reflect You. My face always shine with You.
Help me to be Salt which reaches the bottom of that deep wound,
And Light which shines out pain hidden in some closet of the soul.
Please, God, help me to be who I say I am.
Don't let me be another obstacle.
Please be real in me.
Let Your Holy Spirit, alive in me, revealed through me,
be Jesus to the Maggies in my world.
***Book to come out is called The Unexpected Adventure by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg, Zondervan
