Jean Coleman's Blog - Posts Tagged "salvation"
THE TOENAIL CLIPPERS
Viola had a tender heart. She had given her heart to the Lord at the age of seventy-five and immediately felt the call to be a servant. She reached out a helping hand to the sick, the aged, the lonely, the unloved and began to share the love of Jesus with them.
Joe was an elderly man whose family had discarded him years before. Viola seemed to be his only friend. She drove him to the doctor's office, prepared him hot soup, tidied up his small apartment and continually told Joe about her best friend named Jesus.
Joe had a very bad heart and finally it was determined that heart surgery was the only answer. The evening before Joe was to enter the hospital, Viola stopped by his apartment to see if there was anything he needed or if there was anything that she could do to help him. "There is one thing that I need," Joe responded reluctantly, "but I hesitate to ask you to help me with it."
"Don't be silly," Viola replied with a smile. "That's what I'm here for. What is it that I can do for you?"
Joe looked down at his lap before he answered. "Well, actually I need someone to cut my toenails. My arthritis has been so bad that I haven't been able to bend over to cut them for months and I'm ashamed to go into the hospital with my feet looking like this."
Viola tried to keep the repulsion from showing on her face. "No problem, Joe," she answered. "Give me the clippers." Kneeling down on the floor before him, she removed his slippers and socks, fighting nausea as the odor of sweaty feet filled her nostrils. Silently she prayed. "Lord, I don't want to cut this old man's toenails."
And from within she heard a still small voice reply, "Have you forgotten that I washed the disciples' feet?"
Humbled before the Lord, her tears fell upon Joe's feet as she ministered to him. Suddenly she felt Joe's hand upon her shoulder and raised her eyes to look up at his face. Joe's eyes were also filled with tears. "Viola," he asked with a shaky voice, "I want to know your friend Jesus too. What must I do to be saved?"
Viola brought Joe over to our house that night and we had the privilege of introducing him to the Savior. Joe opened his heart, received forgiveness of his sins and was born again.
A week later we stopped by the hospital to see how Joe was doing following his heart surgery. At the information desk we were told that there was no one by that name listed in their patient files. "But he has to be there," we explained. "He had surgery this morning and should be in the Coronary Care Unit. Could you look again?"
The receptionist checked the computer a second time and then asked us if we were relatives. Upon learning that we were pastors, she informed us that Joe had died on the operating table that morning during surgery.
But we knew that Joe was not dead. He was very much alive. He had simply changed his address and gone home to meet His Savior face to face. We also knew that Joe had already seen Jesus through the life of a humble woman with a toenail clipper in her hand, a woman named Viola.
Joe was an elderly man whose family had discarded him years before. Viola seemed to be his only friend. She drove him to the doctor's office, prepared him hot soup, tidied up his small apartment and continually told Joe about her best friend named Jesus.
Joe had a very bad heart and finally it was determined that heart surgery was the only answer. The evening before Joe was to enter the hospital, Viola stopped by his apartment to see if there was anything he needed or if there was anything that she could do to help him. "There is one thing that I need," Joe responded reluctantly, "but I hesitate to ask you to help me with it."
"Don't be silly," Viola replied with a smile. "That's what I'm here for. What is it that I can do for you?"
Joe looked down at his lap before he answered. "Well, actually I need someone to cut my toenails. My arthritis has been so bad that I haven't been able to bend over to cut them for months and I'm ashamed to go into the hospital with my feet looking like this."
Viola tried to keep the repulsion from showing on her face. "No problem, Joe," she answered. "Give me the clippers." Kneeling down on the floor before him, she removed his slippers and socks, fighting nausea as the odor of sweaty feet filled her nostrils. Silently she prayed. "Lord, I don't want to cut this old man's toenails."
And from within she heard a still small voice reply, "Have you forgotten that I washed the disciples' feet?"
Humbled before the Lord, her tears fell upon Joe's feet as she ministered to him. Suddenly she felt Joe's hand upon her shoulder and raised her eyes to look up at his face. Joe's eyes were also filled with tears. "Viola," he asked with a shaky voice, "I want to know your friend Jesus too. What must I do to be saved?"
Viola brought Joe over to our house that night and we had the privilege of introducing him to the Savior. Joe opened his heart, received forgiveness of his sins and was born again.
A week later we stopped by the hospital to see how Joe was doing following his heart surgery. At the information desk we were told that there was no one by that name listed in their patient files. "But he has to be there," we explained. "He had surgery this morning and should be in the Coronary Care Unit. Could you look again?"
The receptionist checked the computer a second time and then asked us if we were relatives. Upon learning that we were pastors, she informed us that Joe had died on the operating table that morning during surgery.
But we knew that Joe was not dead. He was very much alive. He had simply changed his address and gone home to meet His Savior face to face. We also knew that Joe had already seen Jesus through the life of a humble woman with a toenail clipper in her hand, a woman named Viola.
THE RESCUE
Dog pounds are depressing. We wandered through the rows of cages filled with dogs of every size, shape and description. Each cage bore a large cardboard sign stating the date telling when the dog had been impounded and also the date it would be put to sleep if not claimed. The atmosphere was heavy. It seemed as though even the dogs knew that their chances of survival were slim. Their only hope was that someone would come and pay the price for their release and give them a home. They needed a savior—a deliverer.
We were looking for a companion—a friend. That's really what most people are seeking in a dog. It's a great feeling to come home and find a tail-wagging bundle of fur who thinks you are the greatest person in the whole world. When you think about it, dogs don't actually serve much purpose except to show love and affection. And that's exactly what we were seeking on that cold winter's day at the shelter—a lovable friend.
The dog was sitting in the corner of his cage when we first saw him. Certainly there wasn't much to attract us to this particular dog. He was dirty, his fur was all matted and the dog was so thin you could actually see his ribs. It appeared that the poor thing hadn't eaten a good meal in weeks. But as we approached his cage, the dog stood up and began to enthusiastically wag his tail.
My husband crouched down on the floor next to the cage and held out his hand toward the dog. "Come here, boy," he called gently.
Without hesitation, the dog immediately came over to us. His tongue shot out through the links of the cage and he licked Jack's extended hand with wet signs of his affection. And in that moment he became our dog. He belonged to us. He was called and he was chosen. Our hearts were joined with this unlikely specimen of a dog. I guess you could almost call it love at first sight.
Before we could take the dog home, we had to pay the price to redeem him. Once the seventy-five dollars was paid, the cage was unlocked and he came bounding out into our arms. The dog had once been lost, but now he was found. The dog had a new owner, a new home and even a new name. He became Dennis—our chosen dog. His past was soon to be forgotten and a bright future loomed before him .
It was an exciting moment as we led Dennis into our home for the first time. Our home was now his home and the first item on the agenda was a good bath. When Dennis came out of the tub, he looked like a completely different dog. He was absolutely beautiful and smelled fresh and clean.
Next he was given a big bowl of dog food and some fresh water. "You'll never be hungry or thirsty again," we promised him. "We're going to take good care of you from now on."
When Dennis had finished eating, we put a leather collar around his neck with a tag that clearly stated his name along with our address and phone number. Dennis would never be lost again. He was clearly identified as belonging to us and had our promise of protection.
This is not to say that Dennis didn't still have a lot to learn. The dog had never been housebroken, so it was very important that he quickly learned there were to be no messes inside our house. We also expected him to be obedient to all our commands. Dennis was trained to come when he was called and to stay right next to us when we went out for walks together. A tragic experience with a bedroom slipper taught him that things belonging to his master were to be treated with respect. Words can't express what a wonderful dog Dennis has become or the amount of joy that he has given us over the years. since we brought him home.
And I need to add that Dennis is a very privileged pooch. In the evening he stretches out on the couch between us with his head in my lap. He's our dog now, a part of our family, and we love him very much.
The story of Dennis is a simple parable of salvation that illustrates God's love for lost people. It's a message about the Master who was willing to pay the price to redeem them and make His home their home. How wonderful that the gospel can be expressed in such a way that even a child can understand that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. I'm so glad that when I was lost, Jesus came and paid the price for me.
Chapter 29 Revisited
We were looking for a companion—a friend. That's really what most people are seeking in a dog. It's a great feeling to come home and find a tail-wagging bundle of fur who thinks you are the greatest person in the whole world. When you think about it, dogs don't actually serve much purpose except to show love and affection. And that's exactly what we were seeking on that cold winter's day at the shelter—a lovable friend.
The dog was sitting in the corner of his cage when we first saw him. Certainly there wasn't much to attract us to this particular dog. He was dirty, his fur was all matted and the dog was so thin you could actually see his ribs. It appeared that the poor thing hadn't eaten a good meal in weeks. But as we approached his cage, the dog stood up and began to enthusiastically wag his tail.
My husband crouched down on the floor next to the cage and held out his hand toward the dog. "Come here, boy," he called gently.
Without hesitation, the dog immediately came over to us. His tongue shot out through the links of the cage and he licked Jack's extended hand with wet signs of his affection. And in that moment he became our dog. He belonged to us. He was called and he was chosen. Our hearts were joined with this unlikely specimen of a dog. I guess you could almost call it love at first sight.
Before we could take the dog home, we had to pay the price to redeem him. Once the seventy-five dollars was paid, the cage was unlocked and he came bounding out into our arms. The dog had once been lost, but now he was found. The dog had a new owner, a new home and even a new name. He became Dennis—our chosen dog. His past was soon to be forgotten and a bright future loomed before him .
It was an exciting moment as we led Dennis into our home for the first time. Our home was now his home and the first item on the agenda was a good bath. When Dennis came out of the tub, he looked like a completely different dog. He was absolutely beautiful and smelled fresh and clean.
Next he was given a big bowl of dog food and some fresh water. "You'll never be hungry or thirsty again," we promised him. "We're going to take good care of you from now on."
When Dennis had finished eating, we put a leather collar around his neck with a tag that clearly stated his name along with our address and phone number. Dennis would never be lost again. He was clearly identified as belonging to us and had our promise of protection.
This is not to say that Dennis didn't still have a lot to learn. The dog had never been housebroken, so it was very important that he quickly learned there were to be no messes inside our house. We also expected him to be obedient to all our commands. Dennis was trained to come when he was called and to stay right next to us when we went out for walks together. A tragic experience with a bedroom slipper taught him that things belonging to his master were to be treated with respect. Words can't express what a wonderful dog Dennis has become or the amount of joy that he has given us over the years. since we brought him home.
And I need to add that Dennis is a very privileged pooch. In the evening he stretches out on the couch between us with his head in my lap. He's our dog now, a part of our family, and we love him very much.
The story of Dennis is a simple parable of salvation that illustrates God's love for lost people. It's a message about the Master who was willing to pay the price to redeem them and make His home their home. How wonderful that the gospel can be expressed in such a way that even a child can understand that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. I'm so glad that when I was lost, Jesus came and paid the price for me.
Chapter 29 Revisited
