I sat across the table at a Pizza Hut from a Navajo ministry partner this week in Gallup, New Mexico listening, listening, listening.  As I listened, I prayed, "What do I say God , what do I say?" What I was hearing was so painful; an outpouring of heartache, frustration and anger coming from a heart that was being hardened by the injustices of the world.  I had just arrived that day from my home in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was working on re-entry into Indian country. Usually re-entry is a slow process but this time it was hitting me full blast in the face. What does one say to someone they care deeply about when there is so much injustice involved?  My heart ached and I felt so helpless to offer any kind of comfort.

Just before arriving at the Pizza Hut we had stopped to do an errand and the clerk we were talking with was very, very rude. My ministry partner and I just kept looking at each other and shaking our heads, just not understanding where this person was coming from. As I talked with the clerk, I held my tongue and tried to be as kind as I could. When we left, my ministry partner said to me, "I couldn't believe you were being so nice." "I'm just being Jesus to her," I said.

Well, I didn't say much over pizza that night, restraint from the Holy Spirit I'm sure. I just sat listening, listening, listening. As we sat and ate our pizza, the outpouring of pain lessened and we talked of other things. When we were ready to leave and stood at the cashier to pay our bill, my ministry partner began to talk to the Navajo cashier. He told her all about our ministry with AIM, how we lead groups on short-term mission trips and how Jesus has changed his life. He poured Jesus into her and she listened, listened, listened. 

When he finished she began to pour out her pain from a son who had been in prison. She told us his story and how he had found Jesus, how Jesus was the only thing that kept him from going crazy in prison. We stood and listened, listened, listened to her pain and heartache and then heard the joy of a son that was giving his life over to following Jesus and how his life was changed. Then she told us that her son was living with her, that their house was free from drugs, alcohol and firearms and how good it felt to be free from those things.

When we got ready to leave, the Navajo clerk reached across the counter and gave each of us a hug and a kiss on the check and told us it had been so nice meeting us.  As we walked out the door, my ministry partner said to me, "Just be Jesus to people, Sherry, just be Jesus!" My heart soared as I realized I had just lived my ministry philosophy which is, "encouraging people in their walk with the Lord by being Jesus to them." As I had been Jesus to the first clerk, and encouraged my ministry partner, I saw God begin to soften his heart and now he was being Jesus to the 2^nd clerk and encouraging her in her walk with the Lord. It is my prayer that the 2^nd clerk would encourage someone else either in their walk with the Lord or by witnessing to an unbeliever being Jesus to them. To God Be The Glory!