Gospel Plumber

Last week I had to call a plumber to come and fix our kitchen sink. Since our break ins this fall, I always get a little nervous inviting a stranger into my home. However, when this man arrived he looked much like my Grandpa. I felt very guilty when he bent over to clean our kitchen pipes. He was to old to be doing manual labor. For the first time in my life I wished that I could clean out dirty pipes on my own.

After he fixed our ever increasing problem of clogged pipes, he asked me if he could talk to me. As usual, a red light flashed in my brain, and I was looking for all of the escape routes for the boys and I if this Grandpa went crazy. I positioned myself strategically between him and the back door so I could bolt out first and grab the boys from the yard! So sad I think of these things....

Anyways, he asked for a pen, which messed up my escape plan idea, but I got it for him anyways. He started to draw a chart on a paper and started talking about his life. "Oh no, we could be here a while. I am to busy for this can't he see that..." and then he drew a cross.......

A Believer. He is a believer and he feels called to share his testimony with me. My immediate and shameful thought "I have already heard this, maybe I should just interrupt him and let him know he doesn't need to waste his time. I already believe." But then I got that feeling. You know, that feeling deep in your stomach that feels like your body might tie in knots if you don't just shut up, sit down, and listen. So, I shut up, sat down, and listened. He didn't get very far before I was crying...no bawling!

I am certain he thought I was much crazier than he was and he was in fact the one looking for the nearest escape route! But he just kept on going..."and this is what separates us from God and this is what Jesus did to love us and give us grace"...and then he prayed over me and then he left.

Out the exact escape route I planned for myself.

It is astonishing to me that after being a Believer in Jesus, for more then a decade, I still can't hear the story without crying. The thankfulness I feel for my Savior and the love he has pored down upon me through His example and forgiveness still baffles me. I am so thankful for that gospel plumber for cleaning the dirty pipes in my home and the dirty pipes in my soul. Thanks for the reminder my Gospel Plumber!