Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. (Ephesian 3:20)
A family member told us on Monday that a pastor friend called him last Friday night. The pastor was so upset and distraught, not knowing what to do. He needed a close friend to sort things out, and pray with him and needing some wisdom on what to do next.
After our family member got his pastor friend all calmed down, the pastor friend told the story about how his wife’s mother, who had died unexpectedly. When his wife had heard the news she broke down and cried. He had never seen his wife so discouraged. This pastor friend loved his wife so much that he was willing to do anything to help his wife get through this.
They had just finished making arrangements at the funeral home and were on their way home. As they were nearing their home, they approached a corner stop sign. Here the couple saw a group of teenage kids, trouble makers, that they knew from their neighborhood. The kids were yelling and fighting with each other and as people in their cars stopped at the stop sign the kids would antagonize, the onlookers.
When the pastor and his wife stopped these kids started giving them a hard time, too. This pastor was going to get out of there as fast as he could, thinking it best to ignore them. But there were too many cars in front of them that delayed desired get-out-of-there.
Finally, the wife rolled her window down, not able to hold in her anger any longer, after the way her day had gone. She started screaming out the window, “You don’t want to mess with me today, this is not a good day, so stop fighting and get out of here!”
Among other things, about the time she started talking someone decided to report the incident. A police officer just happened to be strolling past in his car as well at that same time. It didn’t look good.
He saw what was happening and arrested the teenage kids and the “pastor’s wife” as well! The pastor tried to tell the police officer who he was and what was happening but the officer wouldn’t listen. He arrested her on inciting and possibly causing a fight. If he arrested the teenagers yelling, he had to arrest her too, for responding out of her car with like manner.
The husband wasn’t able to go with the police officer. Being late Friday night his wife would have to go to jail. The pastor called the police station to see about getting her out but he would have to wait until tomorrow or Monday to talk to anyone who would have any kind of authority to get her out.
This is when he called our family member, who prayed with his pastor friend. Our family member was willing to go down with him the next day to help get this pastor’s wife out. This was about all that could be done that night. So they waited till morning.
The next morning, our family member found out that his pastor friend didn’t sleep at all the whole night. He worried about his wife, all night! He remembered the state of her from earlier that day. How upset she was with her mother just dying, the teenagers and now being put
in jail all night. He assumed this would send her over the top.
After entering the jailhouse the next day and doing all the necessary paperwork, his wife was able to be released. As she walked out she was smiling and laughing and hugging all the people who were in prison with her and the guards, as she said her good-byes.
What was going on!
She told him that when she got there she was put in jail with about 11 young girls. Because she was older then all these girls and a pastor’s wife they all started coming to her one by one, talking to her throughout the night with their problems. She was able to share Christ with them in the process. She had become like a mother or good big sister to them.
When she found out one of them had a birthday, too, she rallied the officers to get a birthday cake and they celebrated this girl’s birthday in the cell. She had won the hearts of all these young ladies and they loved her, as well as the guards. How many pastor’s wives get thrown into jail as a way to minister?
Here her husband was up all night worrying and she in jail rejoicing and being used by God! Sounds like the apostle Paul when he was in jail singing and the jailer got saved and the church was up all night praying.
God opened up an opportunity for her to share and she took it. Are you looking for opportunities? Are you praying for these kinds of opportunities? God is ready to open up the door when He knows you are ready to walk through it.
From One Pilgrim to another together on the journey,
“Consider how you may spur one another on towards love and good deeds….. encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)