Sometime ago, I wanted to board a bike in front of an old man's house. This old man told me to wait for another bike because the very bike I wanted to board had a bad brake. I thanked him for letting me in on that.
Later, an old bike man rode to where I was. I thanked the old man who cautioned me about the other bike. As I was about boarding the new bike, the bike man also demanded I say "thank you" to him. I was startled. I told him politely that he doesn't deserve my "thank you" till we get to our destination.
Then, he picked me up on that and throughout the short journey, he taught me certain things about God I haven't paid attention to before then. I paid attention to this man's sermon as though I haven't heard a preacher/ teacher of the word all my life. He practically adjusted and help realign my "theology".
When I alighted from the bike, I didn't need anyone to tell me to say 'thank you' to the man. He added huge value to me. In fact, as I was about departing from him, he gave me a word of knowledge and I knew the man was God-sent for that short time to lift my spirit and edify me. My spirit agreed with his totally.
When I returned home that day, I told my wife about the encounter. I thank God I didn't let pride get in my way that day. If I had shut my mind against the bike man because of who he was, I may have missed that lovely encounter. What point am I trying to make here?
God can arrange encounters for you in places you least expect. God can send the lowliest men to teach and school you properly about Him.
The Jews missed their time of encounter because they despised the son of a carpenter and Jesus wept for them: "They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you"( Luke 19:44 NLT).
I found something interesting in Luke 3:1-2 about John the Baptist. The bible told us about men of timber and calibre in the city including the high priest of the temple yet God's word was with a man whose ministry headquarters was in the wilderness.
"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO JOHN SON OF ZECHARIAH IN THE WILDERNESS".
God can give an answer to the question of your heart through men and women you least expect. There are places you never would think you'll find God but He is there.
In this age of high level social media publicity and hype of events, program and persons, we tend to attach value to class instead of substance. John the baptist was not a preacher with class but he had substance.
I've had people ask me if I listen to a particular preacher or teacher. Sometimes, I've listened but I can't really find edification and the spiritual value I needed. I ask if I'm hearing well. Whereas, there are men unknown to the public whose message or teaching in a few minutes will cut through my heart and get me praying. For me, that's true encounter with God.
What your spiritual life need may not be in popular places or with a popular preachers.
The grocer across the street may be a carrier of the word you need. That church without heavy social media presence with unpopular pastor may be the person you need. Let your heart be positioned rightly.
Stop hunting after class, go for substance.
