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Can Man
I am writing this because no one else from our camp group was able to
write well enough to tell you our story. My name is How Dee. No, that is
not my real name but everyone in the camp has some kind of nickname and
my nickname is How Dee. I, along with several others, live on the
outskirts of a Southern town in the United States. We are, what most
people call, homeless. Some of us choose to live as we live but some of
us live as we live because we have no other choice. Sure, most people
think we have a choice but for some of us, living as we live is the only
workable option.
One day, a member of our group, Can Man, did not show up any more. We
didn't think too much about this because people drift in and out. But
one night, as we were all sitting around the fire getting warm, Can Man
shows up again. Now Can Man got his name because he collected cans. For
Can Man, it got to be a business. He made so much extra cash for himself
that he bought a little scooter thing and began pulling a little trailer
behind the scooter when he ran his can route. When Can Man showed up
again he was really clean and he had on clean clothes like he was living
a normal life. That part was not too unusual. A lot of us try to live a
regular life from time to time but most of the time we can't do it and
we end up back at the camp. Well, anyway, Can Man shows up and he is
looking pretty good. Then Can Man says that he saw Jesus. Nobody thought
much about what Can Man said because we all have our
"experiences" if you know what I mean. Most of us use and when
we use we can see all kinds of things. Well, Can Man knew what we were
thinking and he said he wasn't using anymore and when he saw Jesus, Can
Man said he was clean and sober. Then Can Man said Jesus gave him a
rock. Now that kind of got the rest of us going and laughing cause we
never heard of Jesus giving out rocks. Can Man pulls this rock about the
size of a baseball out of his jacket pocket. The rock looked like a
plain old rock from the ground. Then Can Man says to watch and see what
happens. Can Man then threw the rock straight up in the air and the rock
went up so high we could not see it anymore. All of a sudden the rock
turned into a star in the sky. We all just stood there and looked up at
this new star in the sky and nobody said a word. At that point, there
was just a lot of silence from thirty people down on their luck with no
hope. Then Can Man said, "come on down" and the star dropped
down out of the sky and turned into the rock we saw at first and the
rock landed nice and easy in Can Man's hand just like he had pulled the
rock out of his pocket. The rock wasn't even warm from its trip out to
outer space or its trip back. Can Man said Jesus told him to tell all of
us that He was coming back and Jesus wanted all of us to be one of His
special groups on earth. No one said a word. Not one word. Most of us
believe in God. We just can't get our act together and we would rather
live out here than in a shelter or in an alley.
A week or two later, Doo Dah no longer shows up at camp. Doo Dah is a
real regular. He has been out here for years. Then a week later, Doo Dah
shows up one evening clean and sober and he says he saw Jesus and Jesus
gave him a rock like Can Man. Doo Dah throws his rock up in the air, the
rock keeps going up and then becomes a star in the sky. Doo Dah says
"come on down" and down the rock floats into Doo Dah's hand.
Doo Dah said Jesus told him to tell all of us He was coming back and
Jesus wanted all of us to be one of His special groups on earth. This
time there were questions like "When is Jesus coming back and what
did Jesus look like?" Doo Dah said he couldn't give us any answers
because Jesus did not say when He was coming back and Doo Dah said Jesus
looked so much like a regular person Doo Dah could not remember what He
looked like. Doo Dah was dressed real nice and said he had a regular job
and a regular place. Doo Dah looked like he was gaining some weight
which he needed to do.
Over the next several weeks, more and more of our original group of
thirty began to not show up at the camp. Eventually, I was the only one
at the camp. One night, when I was sitting by the fire, all twenty-nine
of the other members of the group show up at camp. The all looked really
good, and they all said they were clean and sober and they all said saw
Jesus and Jesus gave them a rock. Then all of them brought out their
rock, threw their rock up into the heavens and all the rocks turned into
stars forming a new constellation. The constellation was in the shape of
"JC" which I found hilarious.
Several of the members of the group wanted to know if I wanted to see
Jesus and I said "No, I'm too chicken. I'm just too scared to see
Jesus. It is not that I don't believe, it is just that in my mind you
don't see Jesus until you are dead and I prefer to stay alive for a
while longer." We all had a good laugh. One of the guys said he
would guarantee I had nothing to fear. He bribed me with a free steak
dinner by promising me a free steak dinner if seeing Jesus made me
scared. I got to thinking about it and I was pretty hungry at the time.
Since I was so hungry for a steak dinner I decided I wanted to see Jesus
and if seeing Jesus could get me a steak dinner at the cost of fear, I
would eat steak.
When I said I wanted to see Jesus, even to get a steak dinner, I saw
Him. He was laughing and everyone else saw Him laughing like I did.
Jesus said I was not going to get a rock, I was going to get a steak
bone which got a lot of guffaws and howls from the thirty of us. Jesus
told me the same thing He told everyone else about coming back. I cannot
tell you what He looked like or when He is coming back. All I know is He
is coming back like He said He would. Before He left, He gave me a steak
bone which I threw up in the air but it just fell down to earth like
normal. The steak bone did not turn into a star. One of the dogs at the
camp saw the bone hit the ground. When the bone it the ground, the dog
grabbed the bone and we haven't seen the dog or the bone since. I wonder
if they both went to Heaven?
The ending to the story is the thirty of us started a church and
outreach center for people who are down on their luck. We all now have
more or less regular jobs and more or less regular lives. Every day we
think today will be the day but when every day is not the day it doesn't
make any difference because we are all so happy doing the Lord's work it
doesn't make any difference to us whether He comes back today or ten
thousand years from now.
Matthew 24:44 (NIV) So you also must be ready, because the Son of
Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Matthew 26:64 (NIV) "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus
replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the
Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the
clouds of heaven."
Mark 14:62 (NIV) "I am," said Jesus. "And you will
see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and
coming on the clouds of heaven."
Luke 21:27 (NIV) At that time they will see the Son of Man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory.
Acts 1:11 (NIV) "Men of Galilee," they said, "why
do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been
taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen
him go into heaven."
1 Cor. 1:7 (NIV) Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as
you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
1 Cor. 4:5 (NIV) Therefore judge nothing before the appointed
time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in
darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each
will receive his praise from God.
Philip. 4:5 (NIV) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord
is near.
1 Thes. 5:23 (NIV) May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you
through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Tim. 6:14 (NIV) to keep this command without spot or blame until
the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Titus 2:13 (NIV) while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Hebrews 9:28 (NIV) so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the
sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin,
but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 10:37 (NIV) For in just a very little while, "He who
is coming will come and will not delay.
James 5:8 (NIV) You too, be patient and stand firm, because the
Lord's coming is near.
2 Peter 3:10 (NIV) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed
by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
1 John 2:28 (NIV) And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when
he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
Rev. 3:11 (NIV) I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so
that no one will take your crown.
Rev. 22:7 (NIV) "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who
keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
Rev. 22:20 (NIV) He who testifies to these things says, "Yes,
I am coming soon."
A facetious story
giving wisdom
This
story first appeared in November, 2005, in the Virtual Church
web site at http://www.findthepower.com
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