Being Jesus to a Cab Driver

The NASCAR race is in Talladega this weekend, so earlier today I flew into Birmingham, AL. Typically I would rent a car at the airport and go on to my hotel, but today was a little different. I needed to rent a 15 passenger van and the Enterprise at the airport had none of these available, so I was forced to take a taxi to another Enterprise location about 30 minutes away. I hopped in the first cab I saw and headed that way.

About 5 minutes into the trip I noticed that my cab driver, Patrick, had a very distinct accent. I asked him where he was from and he told me that he moved to Alabama from Nigeria 6 years ago. Patrick left his wife and 4 baby girls to come to America in an attempt to provide a better life for his family. I can't imagine how hard it must be for him, but he continues to send money back to Nigeria month after month with the hope that one day he will be able to bring his family to the United States.

To obtain American citizenship you have to hold a green card for 5 years. Patrick has met this requirement, and is in the process of saving up enough money to file the formal paperwork. Once he has obtained citizenship, he will be able to bring his wife and 4 daughters to America.

It costs $675 to file the appropriate papers and on top of the cost to file for citizenship, Patrick must also save enough for 5 one-way plane tickets. With a limited income and the fact that most of his money goes back to Nigeria, it is easy to see that saving comes very slowly. Patrick has saved $300 to date and is confident that he will eventually be able to reconnect with his loved ones.

After hearing Patrick's story, God instantly began pressing it on my heart to help unite this man with his family. Matthew 22:37-40 tells us, very clearly, that the two most important things we can do are to love God and love people. What better way to live out Scripture, then to tangibly bless someone with an obvious need. I would like to challenge anyone reading this to consider giving a financial gift to Patrick. You can facebook me, comment on this blog, or call me and I would love to tell you how you can give.

Maybe you think I'm absolutely crazy for wanting to do this and you feel that your money can be better spent elsewere. If that's the case I have another challenge for you. I would ask that you intentionally seek out an opportunity to bless someone this week. Start conversations while you're at the doctor's office, in line at the grocery store, or with the cab driver who's taking you across town. Ask questions and look for ways to tangibly meet a need for that specific person. The need could be anything from a financial gift to an encouraging word. Whatever the need may be, meet it. I promise it'll rock your world.

I am a firm believer that we, as the body of Christ, can make a significant impact on the world around us. In order to see this happen, it is imperative that we start being Jesus to the people that God places in our path.

Let's make it happen...

James