“Jimmy!” the voice called just as his bobber plunged beneath the pond’s surface, startling him so badly that he forgot to set the hook. Reeling in his line, he couldn’t help but notice that his bait had been stolen. While reaching for the container of worms the voice called again.
“Jimmy! Can you hear me?”
“Yes, God, I hear you,” he answered.
“Good, I have another mission for you. There is someone I want you to see this afternoon. This person desperately needs me in their life. And if they accept me then I have a calling for their life also. Will you meet this person for me?”
“Of course. How will I know them? Is it someone I already know?” Jimmy timidly asked.
“Trust me. You’ll know,” answer God.
Jimmy was a little confused. God hadn’t given him any instructions at all. He had no idea what he was supposed to do. And since he was given no direction he decided to stay right where he was. The bluegill and sunfish had been biting all day and he already had a stringer full. Thoughts of how good they would taste made his mouth water. His mom would dip them in onion ring batter and then fry them until they were golden brown. He couldn’t wait!
Baiting his hook, he cast his offering into the pond and sat down with the anticipation of another fat bluegill attacking the dangling worm beneath his red and white bobber. While watching his bobber he could hear someone coming through the underbrush toward the pond.
Watching closely, a boy came through the bushes and stopped to check the pond.
“Buster Grubbs,” Jimmy muttered to himself, “what’s he doing out here? God, is this who
I’m supposed to meet. If so, then you’re going to have to help me for sure!”
Buster Grubbs was the last person he wanted to see. He had always avoided him in the past and for good reason. Buster was always in trouble. If there was any vandalism, shoplifting, or trouble of any sort it was usually blamed on Buster. His dad had died when he was a baby and his mom worked two jobs trying to make ends meet. Lack of supervision was his downfall.
His mom hadn’t the time or desire to be what he needed most; someone to love him. Due to his mother’s shortcomings, Buster rebelled against all authority figures. The police had been to his house on numerous occasions with complaints, but they had never actually caught him red-handed at anything yet. And the principal at school had expelled him on more than one occasion. His mother had pleaded with the school board to allow him back in, and, reluctantly, they had done so. Now it seemed so strange for him to be here as it was totally out of his element.
From where Jimmy was sitting Buster couldn’t see him. While he watched, Buster slumped to the ground and began to cry. Heart wrenching sobs could be heard as Buster lay beside the pool, his body shaking and chest heaving in anguish.
“Go to him,” the voice in his spirit urged.
“But what can I do or what can I say?”
No reply came. Jimmy rose to his feet, reeled in his line, and stepped from under his shade tree. The sun reflecting off the pond temporarily blinded him as he stood there. Glancing ownward, he saw his reflection in the pool. Again he was dressed as Ephesians, Chapter 6, verses 11 through 17, with his helmet on straight and his breastplate gleaming in the sunlight.
Feeling confident now that he had on the whole armor of God, he walked toward Buster.
“Buster! Hey Buster!” he called as he approached.
Startled, Buster sat up and hastily dried his tears.
“What do you want?” he defiantly asked.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” asked Jimmy.
“It’s none of your business. Leave me alone!” came the reply.
“God, what do I do? It’s obvious he wants me to leave, “Jimmy thought to himself.
Spotting a tree trunk, he sat down and waited for God to advise him. While sitting there Buster turned his back to him and began to quietly sob.
“Buster, what’s wrong? Talk to me please.”
“You’d better get out of here before I get mad!”
“Buster, I’ve been here all morning catching bluegills. God told me that I was supposed to meet someone here today. Now, I don’t know if it’s you or not, but the chances are it is. Buster, I’m a good listener. Please tell me why you’re crying.”
Buster slowly turned back to Jimmy, dried his eyes with his shirttail, and stared hard at Jimmy. All Jimmy could see was a lonely and obviously hurt boy standing before him. There was none of the defiant cockiness showing that had always been there before.
“Jimmy, can I trust you? I’ve heard about some of the things you have done for people. They say that you do them for God. But can I trust you?”
“Yes.”
“My mom doesn’t want me anymore!” he blurted as tears began to well up in his eyes again.
“Why?” Jimmy asked as he got up and slowly approached Buster and placed his arm around his shoulder.
“She says she’s tired of me getting in trouble all the time and told me to pack my stuff and get out. Said that she didn’t love me anymore. Jimmy, what am I going to do?” he sobbed.
“God, help me,” Jimmy softly prayed.
“Jimmy, my mom’s never at home. There’s never anything to eat, nothing clean to wear and the house is filthy. Guess what I got for Christmas last year. Nothing! I see everybody else getting Christmas presents and I got nothing. It hurts to see other people so happy. Jimmy, I know that my mom works all of the time, but just once I wish she’d stay home. I’m so lonely! And it has been years since mom told me she loved me or gave me a hug,” Buster said between choked sobs.
“Jimmy,” God spoke into his spirit, “He is lonely and starved for attention. He doesn’t know how to handle his mother’s rejection and gets into trouble to draw attention to himself. If Buster doesn’t change his ways, he’ll go through the rest of his life in trouble. It is very possible that he’ll spend most of his life behind prison walls. I’m the only one who can fix this problem, but first, he must come to me. That is your mission. I want you to introduce him to me and let me do the rest.”
“Yes, God,” Jimmy silently nodded in agreement.
“Buster, there is only one answer to your problems. Only God can help you through this. He just told me what is wrong and why. Buster, God loves you and wants to help.”
“Why? Why would he want to help me? I don’t know anything about God. I’ve never even been inside a church. Why would He help me?”
“Because that’s what God does. He’s in the business of helping people. And He wants to help you if you”ll let him,” answered Jimmy.
“He’d help me after everything I’ve done?”
“Yes, and He’ll also forgive you if you ask Him to,” answered Jimmy.
“Will you tell me more about God?” Buster asked as he dried his eyes.
“Sure! That’s why I’m here. Let me get my rod and stringer. Why don’t you come home with me? I can’t eat all of these fish by myself. Mom will cook them for supper. I’ll talk to my mom and dad about you staying for a while. I’m sure they’ll say it is ok. And tonight is youth night at church. Why don’t you come with me? It’s a lot of fun. There will be snacks, games to play, and then Pastor Jenkins will have a short message from the Bible. Ok?”
“Ok’” Buster answered with the beginning of a smile on his face.
When Jimmy got home he told his mom what had happened. She called his dad at work and got his approval for Buster to stay there. After making several phone calls, she found the boys in the backyard cleaning fish. They had set up a card table beside the cleaning bench. On it was a plate of cookies, tumblers of lemonade and Jimmy had propped his Bible open and was reading to Buster.
“Boys,” she said as she approached, “I have some good news for you. Jimmy, your dad said that Buster can stay with us as long as necessary. I have made some calls, and tomorrow morning we have an appointment at the Children’s Welfare office. Buster, they want to know why your mom told you to leave. There is nothing to be afraid of or worried about. They want to help. Tonight, at church, we’ll introduce you to the pastor. Maybe he can help also.”
The meeting went well with Pastor Jenkins, and he said that he would contact the Welfare office and try to help Jimmy.
After youth meeting and they had gone to bed, Jimmy arose, knelt, and quietly prayed, trying hard not to wake up Buster who was asleep on the cot his dad had brought in from the garage.
“God, I did what you asked. Now what do I do?” he prayed.
“Jimmy, again you were obedient. Well done, my good and faithful servant. I want you to continue taking Buster to youth meetings and to church on Sundays. I also want you to love him. Be his friend. You do this and I’ll do the rest.”
Jimmy did as instructed and waited for the results. One Wednesday evening Buster answered God’s calling and gave his heart completely to the Lord. To Jimmy, it seemed as if a switch had been thrown in Buster! No longer did he do stupid things or get into trouble. Buster became a different person right before his eyes! In fact, he became one of the strongest Christians in the youth group.
Buster didn’t stay with Jimmy’s family for very long. The Welfare Office found a foster family for him. Pastor Jenkins’ influence was a major factor in Buster being placed with a family that were members of the church. Their friendship grew, and they became like brothers, always helping each other out when there was a problem. Jimmy watched in amazement as God worked miracles in Buster’s life.
One day Buster came to Jimmy’s house to tell him about his mom. Buster sat on Jimmy’s bed and told of how she had come knocking on the door wanting to see him. She said that she had a job opportunity in another state and was moving and had come to tell him goodbye. He had quietly listened and then did something he didn’t know if he had the strength to do. He had held out his arms for a hug. His mom embraced him, and while doing so Buster told her that he loved her and forgave her for neglecting him, and asked for forgiveness for all of the problems he had caused. She had looked at him with surprise, nodded in agreement, kissed his cheek, and hurried from the house. Tears had streamed down his cheeks as he watched her drive away. Now he sat on Jimmy’s bed telling him how he had felt.
“Jimmy. It was so hard. I may never see my mom again.” sobbed Buster.
“Never is an awfully long time. Maybe you will see her again,” answered Jimmy.
“I hope so. But you know something. I feel like I’ve had a ton of rocks lifted from my shoulders. I knew I was supposed to ask for her forgiveness and also forgive her but I didn’t know if I could. I feel good inside right now.” Buster said.
“You had to. God wouldn’t leave you alone until you did. You did the right thing,” Jimmy answered.
“I know. Well, I guess I had better get going. I have to mow the yard. See you tomorrow night at youth meeting?”
“Sure,” Jimmy answered as Buster went out the front door, Returning to his room he lay down on his bed and the voice spoke again into his spirit.
“Jimmy.”
“Yes, God, I hear you.”
“What Buster has done is a good thing and he will be rewarded for it.”
“Rewarded?”
“Yes. One day Buster will be allowed to see his armor just like you and will be sent on missions also. His will be different than yours are. Buster will go to college and get a degree in Child Psychology. With this, he will work with emotionally and displaced children not only through the Welfare Department but also with the local churches. Buster will always remember his childhood, and he’ll do everything he can to keep children from experiencing what he did. His reward will be the satisfaction of reaching troubled children and not only helping them but also introducing them to me just like you did for Buster.”
“Wow!”
“Jimmy, you will also be rewarded for being obedient. Your reward will not be given on earth but in heaven. Different deeds receive different blessings, and my child you have earned another crown. My crowns have many names and some have more significance and importance than others. The one you have earned is one of the hardest to achieve. Jimmy, I have set aside the crown of obedience for you and it is an honor to wear it. Well done, my good and faithful little Jimmy Alien, well done.”
June 24, 2023