06/01/2017: A GENTLE NUDGE

On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the moon, he said: “ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, AND ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND!” Where were you that night while it was aired on the television? I know where I was, I was in Schweinfurt, Germany 1

st Brigade, 3rd

Infantry Division sitting in the Snack Bar drinking beer; (I was a heathen back then.) After Neil Armstrong’s successful announcement, I left the Snack Bar and was walking back to my barracks when I came across two men in a heated discussion.

In the parking lot behind the Snack Bar there was a vehicle parked all by itself with warning cones around it, on the back deck of this truck was a lone soldier with an automatic weapon, and on the ground, was an intoxicated soldier. The ground soldier was attempting to gain access into the truck, while the soldier on the truck was telling the man to move on and stop what he was doing or he would be shot. Now, this truck is called a TOC Tactical Operations Center; it is what was known as a Crypto Top- Secret vehicle. To gain access in this vehicle you had to have a need to know, a proper ID, Password, and reason to enter in. None of which the ground soldier had.

It was obvious to me that neither soldier was about to back down. Now, understand this soldier on the truck had orders and authority to SHOOT TO KILL any intruder that may attempt entry. Even though I was somewhat tipsy and elated for the event that had just taken place I was aware of the serious situation I had come upon. Not sure what to do I guess I relied on my combat training to lead me through. I approached the discussion and when the guard halted me I assured him that I was there to assist him by diffusing the situation. I went to the soldier on the ground, put my arm around his shoulder and talked him down out of getting himself killed. I must tell you that I was SCARED OUT OF MY BRITCHES. If I was unsuccessful this man might get dead and I would be a witness.

I titled this paper A Gentle Nudge to gain the attention of the reader, I told this story so that I might put some perspective on the message I am about to share.

I was a ground soldier standing in a place where I was attempting to enter where I had never been before but had heard of, a place where I had to have the proper authority, proper credentials, the need to know, and someone to grant me access. One day, a man stood before me and put His arm around my shoulders and spoke words to me that I had never heard before. He assured me that with the proper identification and credentials I could not only gain the Need to Know but also the ability to enter in to place. He gave me a gentle nudge in the right direction that led me away from the house of sin and towards the House of Righteousness. As I am writing this paper I am reminded of Elijah and his call upon Elisha and how those two walked together, Elijah with a gentle nudge on Elisha and the rest is History. That soldier lived to see another day and learn what had happened, I also could live another day and learn what had happened.

Jehovah God came to this planet in the form of created man, He wanted to re-build that relationship with His created beings that He so longed to have from the beginning. While He was here as Jesus Christ He never attempted to force anybody into anything, He never spoke words of condemnation but encouragement. Jesus went about inviting men to follow Him and to learn from Him all that they needed to know so that they could enter the place I was wanting to enter. Sometimes Jesus had to get physical to get His message across, we see that in the temple with the money changers, but most of the time He was GENTLE AS A LAMB.

I met the Lord Jesus Christ through the gentle nudge of a man who was at the right place and the right time with the right words to say. He asked me if I had ever called on the Name of the Lord for my Salvation, and I told him I didn’t know what that meant or how to do it. He was gentle and he put his arm around my shoulder as we knelt at that altar of repentance before the Lord God Jehovah and taught me how to pray the Prayer of Salvation. I have long since lost contact with that man, but I know that I will see him again in heaven, and I will be able to truly thank him for his GENTLE NUDGE.

Jesus called for us to enter the world as Gentle Lambs knowing all along that we may be scorned, hated, assaulted, and yes even killed because of our Faith in Christ Jesus. He never said it would be easy, in fact we see it wasn’t for Him as He felt the sting of the whip on His body, and the crown of thorns on His head, then the excruciating nails in His hands and feet. No, He never said it would be easy or a piece of cake; however, He did Promise that it would one day all be worth it in the end.

So, for the time we have on this plane, and the Words we have in us, let’s all be Gentle Lambs and give out Gentle Nudges, soft spoken words of Love, Forgiveness, Peace, and Eternal Life.
 
~ Pastor Larry Pinkerton