“This is a safe place for you, you just have to make a choice. ”

This past weekend all 14 of us in Leadership Track attended a “Jesus and the Quran” conference in Atlanta as part of our preparation for our capstone project trip to Morocco.

Halfway through the last day of the conference I noticed a man sitting with one of my fellow CGA apprentices, Alex Kirby.  During the next break I went over to introduce myself to the man and found out his name was Jeff*.  He just moved here from New York in hopes of a better life, but was currently living on the streets of Atlanta because he couldn’t find a job. 

Once the conference ended, Alex and I began to talk to a few of the men who were running the conference to see if there was a place Jeff could stay for the night.  Hours later, we found a place for him to stay and all of us piled into the car to drop him off; all of us except Jeff.

For several minutes Jeff stood outside the passenger door. He slowly started to put his few belongings into the car, but then quickly took them out.  As his body moved closer to the car, it abruptly stopped as if there was an invisible shield preventing him from getting in.

“I don’t know if I can trust you. Why would someone show me so much kindness? No one has before. I can’t trust you,” he hit his head against the side of the car in frustration.

Alex looked straight into Jeff's eyes, “This is a safe place for you, you just have to make a choice.”

With that, Jeff shook his head and walked away.

Both of our hearts broke for him in that moment. 

Reflecting on that day, I saw myself in Jeff. I began to wonder, how many of us have a bit of Jeff’s fears inside of us? 

Countless times the Lord shows me kindness through various venues, but how many times do I step away from that kindness because of my lack of trust in Him?

How many times do I reject my loving Father’s kindness because I don’t think I can trust His plan?

Even if our Father’s plans are unconventional, even if they’re as uncomfortable as getting into a stranger’s car, we know His extending of kindness and love will always result in His goodness.

Our Father is stretching out His love to us, He is offering us a safe place. We just have to make a choice.

*name changed for privacy