HE WILL NOT SAY, “HEY, YOU.”
A FELLOW AT THE MALL.
Years ago while strolling through a mall in Durham, NC, I saw a mall maintenance worker who resembled my mother’s cousins. In his stature, the texture of his hair, and his facial expressions he looked exactly like them. I did not approach him at that time. But a few days later I saw this same gentleman in the mall parking lot.
A LADY AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
I was at my doctor’s office a few days ago and saw a lady standing in the waiting area and talking with a couple other ladies. I said to myself, “Oh, look! It’s Judy Johnson.” It’s been a long time since I had seen her. As I walked toward her I smiled and pointed at her and said, “Judy, is that you?” She smiled back and said, “It’s good to see you,” as I gave her a big hug.
It was then that I realized that this woman was a perfect stranger. I kept going and walked on past.
GETTING ON A PLANE
I was talking with people as I waited at the gate to board an airplane. I saw a fellow who looked familiar. I asked him if we had met before? He was a stranger and said he did know me. This happens to me a lot. I’ll see people that look familiar and wonder if I have met them in the past. Sometimes I’ll approach and ask them.
I tend to overdo this practice.
I missed an opportunity to speak to a friend once when I was visiting Statesboro, Georgia many years ago. I saw a young lady in a convenience store who looked like Sue Stabler, a girl I knew in high school back in South Carolina. I was bashful and did not approach her. Then a couple weeks later I was back in SC and I ran into Sue on the street and discovered that the lady in the convenience store in Georgia was actually her. Therefore, I tend to ask people if I know them rather than risk missing out on an opportunity to visit with an old friend. That’s why I was being bold at the airport.
BACK AT THE AIRPORT
The plane was a small commuter flight with only a few people on the plane, which made folk more comfortable and freer to interact and talk. At some point in the flight the fellow in the seat in front of me abruptly turned around and glared at me and said, “I AM OFFENDED!” In shock I replied, “Why?” He then said, “I’m the only person on this plane that you have never met before.”
THE FRIEND IN CHARLESTON
Passing through Charleston, SC I decided to call an old friend to say hello. His wife, whom I had never met her before, answered the phone. I introduced myself and said, “I’m calling to speak to Van. This is Billy Long and just wanted to say hello as I passed through town.” She apologized saying Van was not home, and that it’s been such a long time since we had spoken, and she knew he would love to see me again. At some point in the conversation I asked her how their pastor John Duke was doing. She answered that she did not know pastor John or any of the other mutual friends I named. So…it turned out that after a five minute conversation I realized I had called the wrong Van. His wife thought I was her husband’s old college friend who also was named Billy.
NO MISTAKEN IDENTITY
In His infinite greatness our God knows us individually. There is not and never will be any mistaken identity in God’s dealing in our lives. No one will be lost in the crowd. He knows the “all,” and He knows the “each.” Each of us is special in His eyes. We are not on an assembly line. We are not made in a mold. He knew us before we were born and has kept up with us since birth. The Psalmist says His eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in His book the days fashioned for me were written when as yet there were none of them (Psalm 139:16).
He knows me. He knows you.
“The solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His.’” 2 Timothy 2:19
“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” John 10:14
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
You are unique in God’s eyes, and He knows you and everything about you. To us who know and love Jesus, He says, “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
This tells me that you and I are not lost in the crowd. He knows each of us personally. Each of us is special in His eyes. Jesus said that each child has an angel who always beholds the face of the Father in heaven. What a wonderful God! What a wonderful Lord and Savior! He will call me by my name. He will not say, “Hey, you.”
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