Father’s Great Love

Psalm 103:13

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who honor Him.

Beth was in an airport terminal departure area waiting to board a plane.  Around her were several other passengers, seated, waiting for the announcement.  She pulled out her Bible and started reading.  All of a sudden, she sensed as if the people sitting there were looking at her.  She looked up and realized they were looking past her.  She turned around and she saw a stewardess pushing a wheelchair carrying one of the ugliest old men that he has ever seen. He had long white hair that was all tangled up and he was such a mess with his facial contortions and all those facial wrinkles. He was definitely grumpy.

However, Beth said she felt drawn to the man and thought at first that God wanted her to witness to him.  In her mind, she said, “O, God please not now, not here.”  No matter what she did, she could not get the man off her mind and so she knew what God wanted her to do.  She felt that God wanted her to brush this old man’s hair.  She went and knelt down in front of the old man and said, “Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?”  He said, “What?” She said, “Oh, great! He is hard of hearing.”  Again, a little louder, she said, “Sir, may I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?”  He answered, “If you are going to talk to me, you’re going to have to speak up. I’m practically deaf.”  So, this time, she was almost yelling, “Sir, may please I have the honor of brushing your hair for you?”  So everyone around her, even those who were sleeping woke up. They waited what his response would be.  The old man just looked at her, confused, and said, “Well, I guess, if you really want to.”  She said, “I don’t even have a brush but I thought I would ask anyway.”  He said, “Look in the bag hanging in the back of my chair there is a brush in there.”

So she got his brush and started brushing his hair.  She has a little girl with long hair so she’s had lots of practice getting tangles out and knew how to be gentle with him.  She worked for a long time until every last tangle was out.  Just as she was finishing up, she heard the old man crying.  And she went and put her hands on his knees and kneeling in front of him again, looking directly into his eyes, and said, “Sir, do you know Jesus?”  He answered, “Yes, of course, I know Jesus.  You see my bride told me she couldn’t marry unless I knew Jesus.  So I learned all about Jesus and asked Him to come into my heart many years ago before I married my bride.”  He continued, “You know, I’m on my way home to go and see my wife.  I’ve been in the hospital for a long time and had to have a special surgery in this town far from my home.  My wife could not come with me because she is so frail herself.”  He said, “I was so worried about how terrible my hair looked; and I didn’t want her to see me looking so awful but I couldn’t brush my hair by myself.  So I asked God, I prayed to Him.” Tears were falling both down their cheeks as they were talking.  God answers even our smallest concerns.

People around witnessing this also started crying.  And as they were all boarding the plane, the stewardess who was moved by the incident, stopped her and asked, “Why did you do what you just did?”  And right there was the opportunity; the door had been opened to share with someone else the love of God.

Many of us don’t realize the extent of God’s love. But be ready.  He’s so caring, so competent, and so consistent.  He will always give you surprises because He loves you so much.  Trust God now. Our God is a real Father. (RS)