Brought to Meet Jesus
By Chrys Williams
Do you believe that you are a servant for the Lord? An angel, made in flesh, to serve one of God’s children?
Well, at one point I didn’t know or believe this could even be a reality. As the one being given the assignment, how do you know you fit the job description? Did God interview you without you being there for the meeting? Did he send you an email? A W-2 form to fill out? How are you supposed to sit and look a person in their eyes and tell them you are on an assignment for the Lord? I think the short answer is that you’ll know it when you see it. It’ll present itself to you. I’ll give you an example from my life experience.
I grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida since the age of seven. I was blessed to find groups of friends throughout my childhood that kept me in good company with kind people. I left this group to move to Tampa in pursuit of a degree at USF in Education. I moved here alone and tried hard to navigate this new chapter of my life. In my dorm room, I drank shots that slurred my words in papers and blew smells out the tiniest crack in a window. The truth was that I didn’t value anyone around me. Everyone seemed to be passing through enjoying their time at college between the classes and assignments due at midnight. I felt alone. I thrived in my classes, as usual, but I struggled in defining who I was. That was all before I met Shirah.
Do you remember in the book of Job 4:15, how an angel glided past Job’s face and made the hairs on his arms stand up? I picture it every time I think about my old friend and how it must feel to be in the presence of an angel. Shirah scared me. She was a great person to hang out with. We did “homework” at the library til the wee hours of the night, cracking jokes, and getting virtually no homework done (don’t do study groups with your friends, y’all!) After the library, we’d walk home together doing the last bit of talking until we saw each other at work in five hours. But there’s something Shirah always did that, like Job, made my skin crawl with fear and made me uneasy when she spoke to me. Shirah had this incredible boldness that came out when she spoke about characters in the bible. Her love for the truth written in the Holy Book seeped out through her words. And with that, she spoke truth, all truth, almost abrasive with the truth challenging me to meet her with a dialogue I wasn’t prepared for nor wanted. She had the habit of staring into my soul, almost as if to transfer her love for Him into my spirit.
BUT, she didn’t. That’s not how it works!
Long story short, a few months later, Shirah invited me to activate my talents and love for kids by volunteering at Crossover KidzMin’s Winter Wonderland. So, I go and visit the church and I love it, and I join the ministry team. Boom! I’m in there. Concurrently, I’ve been going to therapy (my Resident Assistant found my crying in the bathroom and walked with me to find the Student Health Services building), stopped drinking, and stopped blowing smells out of tiny windows. In March, it finally starts to set in that Shirah will be graduating and moving on in two months, leaving me here in Tampa. While Shirah and I are walking from the library, all I remember is being so angry and upset. I questioned myself why I would be vulnerable with this girl only for her to leave. I was angry, but more than that, I feared going back to loneliness. I was scared that I would revert to old habits because of my sadness. I stopped in the middle of the street (It was about 2 o’clock in the morning so it was okay), turned to Shirah, and asked her and God, “What’s the point of all this? Why are you even my friend? You did all this work to basically bully me into meeting Jesus and now I’m in church and you’re leaving? For what?”
In that moment, I think we both understood the Lord’s assignment a bit better. Shirah didn’t know why all the doors to Tampa opened for her. I didn’t know why all the doors stayed open for her to meet me. But what we both knew was that Shirah was sent for me and her assignment was complete. Hallelujah! But also...ew, why? I think I know the answer to this question. We’re familiar with the old saying, “everything happens for a reason” or “people come for certain seasons”. Well, Shirah was an example of both for me. Her purpose here in Tampa, in my life specifically, was to intentionally ignite the tiniest interest in Jesus, welcome me to a space that would begin to address my wonder for Him, and lead me to be a member of the Body of Christ. I ask myself,” what would my journey look like if Shirah didn’t accept her assignment to be a servant in bringing me to meet The Creator?
Before she left, Shirah sat in the pool next to me to be baptized. (Here’s the video: https://www.facebook.com/PinchyPrincess/videos/10204097959705345) I committed myself to Jesus in April, and Shirah was gone in May. I still speak with her occasionally and make sure she knows I’m thinking of her. She deserves to know she helped me. Because I knew her, I knew God. I have been changed for good, and for the better.
Double points if you know which Broadway musical I referenced!
