Wayne’s World.

“Of course it’d be raining”, I thought to myself as I doubled up on rain coats. 

Night after night an organization serves a hot meal and week after week a few of us walk up and down the downtown streets - offering a peasant sized portion of coffee to the homeless, impoverished, drug addicted, displaced, disabled people of our land - ‘glorious and free’.  

To be honest, I really didn’t want to leave my warm house.

However, I knew I was suppose to be out there serving. Why? Because we are always supposed to be out there serving.

I offered my first cup to a man who was chatting it up with a prostitute.  He denied. It was freezing out (by BC standards) and the young lady he was talking to was in a short skirt and a thin long sleeve shirt.  

“Would you like some coffee?” I asked her, “at least it might warm up your hands.”

The man first looked at me - then he took a step back and looked up and down the lady. He said as though he had made a profound discovery, “Wow! You must be cold out here! Take my jacket.”

Instantly he started to de-wardrobe - offering every piece of clothing he was wearing. She turned them all down. 

Then he looked at me and said, “You give her your coat - she’ll probably take it from you”. 

I unzipped my layers but as soon and I offered - she turned me down.

She turned away and left us both standing there in the cold rain - 4 coats in our hands.

And so as quickly put our coats back on - the man turned to me and said, “Well it’s cold now - can I have some coffee?” So I poured him a cup and we started chatting.  

This guy had stories to tell.

He was addicted to drugs by age 11 and by age 20 he was trafficking heroine from Africa on a regular basis.  One afternoon he was busted at the Vancouver Airport with 45Kgs of heroin and instantly put in jail.  

Somehow the cops burned the evidence before trial and he was let off with probation. He spent one portion of his rehab days ironically enough in Grande Prairie, Alberta (where I grew up). He professed his love for GP women, and told me about his love affairs with multiple ladies.  

He talked about one specific lady more than others - and he told me how she became pregnant but lost the baby at 7 months.  My ears perked up at one specific statement he said, “Man, I had no idea that I could love something so much without seeing it.”

My mind started racing.  Love? Faith? There are Holy Spirit sort of ideas…

The man (who’s name was Wayne), talked for a solid 45 minutes - I said 7 or 8 words the whole time.  

Eventually he turned to me and said, “What about you - you in rehab right now?”

“Nope, just here with my buddy.” I replied. 

“So you’re just staying here tonight?”

“Nope, just here for a few more hours”.  

“Wait, you just came here?”

“Yup - wanted to give you some coffee - you want some more?”

“Yup - but wait, you just come here?”

“Yup”, I said as I poured him another cup of coffee. 

“Are you a Christian or something?”

“Yup.”

At that moment Wayne stopped talking.  His eyes started to well up and tears started rolling down each cheek.  We just chilled in silence for a few moments as the Holy Spirit did a work in both our hearts.  

Eventually I broke the silence, “Wayne, you know the love you had for the baby you couldn’t see?”

“Yup.”

“Well God wants you to know that he loves you 1000 times more than that. You can’t see him, but I know for a fact that He loves you and He wants your love back.”

Wayne led me to a dark corner where we both sat down on the pavement. We talked about past hurts/forgiveness/God/repentance and he drank more coffee.  Eventually he took my phone number and invited himself to church. While me and a friend prayed for him, my hand went numb from the grip Wayne had on it. He encouraged us and we encouraged him.

Besides the 3 cups I poured for Wayne, I didn’t out any coffee that night.  In fact I poured the remaining 7/8ths down the drain (coffee is a terrible yucky invention). 

Just as I was starting to feel bad about wasting - I remembered that it really isn’t about the coffee at all. God did use the coffee as a practical means of starting something great - however giving the coffee itself was not the end.  

The majority of us are happy to be seed planters.  It’s comfortable to be nice, spread encouragement and lend a hand. 

But how many are ready for the harvest? In John 4:35 it says: Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

 In God’s Kingdom the seeds are often ready to be sewn and harvested at the same time! Be bold and preach Jesus and repentance. Tell your own story and then listen to others.  Serve often and pray that God uses you.  Leave your comfort zone and let God decide the outcome.

“Blessed are those who are poor in spirit for theirs IS the kingdom of God.”

If we are to realize the kingdom of God here on earth - then we need to be spirituality impoverished (relying solely on Christ).