What it's about!

This week, as you may know by now, I was not at Focal Point "live". I did however produce the message via video earlier in the week and it was shown this Sunday at Focal Point. This is only the second time we did the message this way but the response has been very positive.

Yesterday I received an email that reminded me of what it's all about. This type of thing is the reason we do what we do. Recently Ben Arment and I were talking about those people and stories that define why you got into church planting in the first place. Honestly... I got into church planting for stories like this one. With Calvin's permission, I'd like you to check out how God used the video-taped message from this past Sunday when I was away. Hopefully it will be an encouragement to you and remind you of your churches own God-stories.

This past Sunday in Tally’s message he talked about acting on needs seen. The way he phrased it was, “A need seen is an assignment given.” Now I don’t think he meant any need seen, but rather to urge us to be sensitive to what God lays on our hearts.

Well, right after the message I got a call from my dentist. I had called because I had an implant that came out and I had to have it re-inserted. Because of the holiday, the earliest she could see me was the day after the 4^th of July. I came into the office and while in the waiting room I overheard this elderly person explaining she didn’t have the money for appointment (which was for a younger woman, who appeared to be a daughter or maybe even a granddaughter). Anyway as the explanation went on, the administrator very nicely explained that she needed to pay her co-pay today, and if she cancelled her appointment she would be changed for the appointment anyway. I could tell the administrator really felt for the woman, but she was required to say what she was saying.

As I listened, my heart really went out for the woman and child and I asked God if I should help, and then the phrase went through my head --- “A need seen is an assignment given!” The administrator went to the back room to check the woman’s file, and I quietly went to the back room and asked if I could talk to her for a moment. I asked if I could pay for the procedure the woman was having. The administrator went into the backroom to talk to the dentist, and in a minute they motioned me to come into the back room. When I came into the back room, the administrator said, “I have to hug you.” She was in tears, and so were the other dental assistants and the Dentist. I wrote the check for the woman, and asked that they make up some story to explain the appointment was covered.

After getting my dental work done, I went to pay my bill. The administrator said that I had a credit on my account, and that the dentist had decided not to charge me for the labor and was only charging me for the supplies used --- which just happen to come out to what I owed – and so there was no charge for my appointment. (Seems like a very interesting coincidence!!!!!)

In the final analysis, I ended up paying less than I would have for my own procedure. I continue to find that you can’t out-give God.

Though the woman might never know what God did for her this day, there was an entire office of people moved by our Lord.

“A need seen is an assignment given!” ---- I continue to find that when I ask who the sermon was for --- it always ends up being me!

Praise God!

-Calvin