The other night around 10 p.m., I had the oddest urge to go for a walk. I say “odd” because I can’t remember spontaneously going for a walk at that time of night. I couldn’t think of a reason for it, which made me think it might be the Lord.

So, I suggested The Wife join me, and she immediately said yes. Surprised, I said “really?” She said, “No. I thought you were joking.” I told her I was serious, and she reluctantly agreed. 

We walked two blocks, past the park to where we would normally turn right to make the circuit around the park, but I felt an unction to go left instead, toward Main Street. 

Main Street is primarily a walking street, and on Friday night it was filled with bar hoppers and others out for a taste of city life. 

When we reached Main Street, we saw a small group of people near the corner handing out flyers. We took one and read the bolded words: 

“Heaven or Hell?”

I asked the woman who handed us the flyer what group they were with, and she pointed at a young man on the corner. We walked over and introduced ourselves. 

He said his name was Ricardo, and I asked him whether they were Christians.  He said, “Christianity is a religion. I’m a disciple of Christ.”

I asked how he got born-again, and he said, “I became a disciple after God set me free from pornography.” He then told us his story, his struggle, and then his victory over porn.  He mentioned that we were in the end times, and said Jesus could come any day. He hardly took a breath.

I finally jumped in, “I’m a former pastor and my wife was in the ministry 15 years. We’re glad you’re out here. You’re doing a good thing.”

The Wife then said, “We will pray for you.” 

But thinking there was no need to wait, I said, “Let’s just pray now.” I then moved toward him to put my hand on his shoulder to pray for him. He immediately stepped back. Not a big step—just far enough. I stopped.

Noticing the puzzled look on my face, he said, “The Bible says not to let people you don’t know lay hands on you.” 

The Wife wisely responded, “Okay, but we will still pray for you,” and began walking away, and I followed.

When we got back home, I reminded The Wife that the Bible says believers were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26), and the verse about not laying hands on people is about not making young believers leaders too quickly, not refusing to let people pray for you (I Timothy 5:22).  

I said, “And of course he’s using speculative eschatology like its doctrine, and he talked the entire time and never asked us a single question to even know where to start.”

The Wife asked why I had not mentioned those Bible verses to him. I said, “It doesn’t matter. At least he’s out there doing something. The Lord can still use him. It’s more than we were doing tonight.” 

And it was. 

He made himself available to lead people to the Lord on this night. I had not. I had been at home watching a movie with The Wife.

I began thinking about all this and being out there myself, not handing out flyers but asking questions, listening, and speaking to the people out there about their need for Jesus.

The more I imagined, the more I determined to do just that. Soon.

I don’t know if Ricardo led anyone to the Lord Friday night. But despite all his talking and a few things he got wrong from the Bible, he had inspired me. GS