Who are you talking to?

I remember being at a restaurant and the waitress had a name badge that said “Raymond” on her blouse. I was a little surprised so when she came by the next time I asked her for her name. She stopped and said, “You are the first person that noticed that I am wearing a guy’s name tag.” She mentioned that her name was Wendy. Each time she came by to serve us, she opened up to us and began telling us about herself. What she is studying in college. What her future plans are. All this occurred from asking for her name. At a family outing to honor our son getting a job at Rice University, the waiter came by and I noticed that he didn’t write anything down when he took our order. Not one item. When the orders came, he placed the orders correctly in front of each person. I asked him, do you have photographic memory? He mentioned that he did. As we continued our dialogue, we discovered that he was completing his third master’s degree and working on his doctorate. He has a job lined up on completion of his degree with one of the large oil companies located in Houston. So I asked, what are you doing here? He said that his friend asked him to help with the new store. He will be graduating this summer with a job in the six figures. Who are you talking to? You never know if the person sitting next to you is a future artist, painter, poet, sculptor, doctor, engineer, computer developer, or a bio-engineer. You never know.

In the Bible we have several of these people. There is a little shepherd boy in the fields taking care of his father’s small flock. He loves the outdoors, and music. Then one day his whole life is interrupted. “And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And theLord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.” 1 Samuel 16:4,5, 11-13 One day a prophet came to see a shepherd boy, the next day that same shepherd boy is anointed the future king of Israel. Who are you talking to?

Today, we live in a society where the enemy is doing everything possible to destroy the image of God within us. He has shattered homes, lives, young girls and boys. Very often, these crushed people can’t see beyond themselves and understand that God has a great future in store for them. When I entered Aviation High school, I had low self-esteem. I remembered sitting in my freshman class in high school. We had to present a schematic drawing of the hydraulic system of a Vietnam era A6 intruder fighter landing gear system. I remember color-coding the various systems. When the teacher looked at my schematic. He stopped. He took my drawings and placed them on the board. “Class, this is the type of work I expect from the rest of you. Well done Angel.” When I looked in the mirror that day, I saw a different person. I did everything possible to make my teacher proud of me. It changed my life. What do you see when you look in mirror? Every now and then we talk to ourselves in the mirror. The question I have for you is this, “Who are you talking to? What do you see, or who you will become?

Here are some words of encouragement “God alone knows the depths of the world’s misery and despair, and He knows how to bring relief. Everywhere He sees hurting persons, crushed with sin and sorrow and pain. But He also sees their potential; He sees the height that they could reach. Although human beings have abused their opportunities, wasted their talents, and lost their Godlike dignity, the Creator will be honored in their rescue. “ {AC 101.4}

May God bless you this Sabbath as you see His potential for your life.

Angel
Angel J. Rodriguez, D.Min
Houston Central – Senior Pastor