Pastor Bill Wilson's church is in a tough part of New York City. Wilson has been stabbed twice, shot at and had a member of his staff killed but still the church ministers on.
A lady from Puerto Rico came to know Christ through the ministry of the church and asked Wilson through an interpreter for a place to serve. He assigned her to their bus ministry and told her to ride a different church bus each week and show love to the children as they ride to and from the church. She said OK.
She would get on the bus, look for the worst looking kid, set the child in her lap and repeat a phrase she had learned in English, "I love you and Jesus loves you." After a few times of doing this she came back to Pastor Wilson and said she wanted to stay on one bus with one particular boy who seemed troubled. The pastor said OK.
One day as the bus got close to the boy's home, he turned to the lady and said, "I love you, too." He got of the bus and left her in stunned amazement. Those were the only words he had ever said to her. That happened at 2:30 pm.
At 6:30 pm that night, the boy's lifeless body was found in a garbage bag under a fire escape. His mother had flown into a rage and beaten him to death and hid his body there.
Some of the last words he heard were, "I love you and Jesus loves you." On the last day of his tragic life he told her "I love you too."
The bus riding lady, who could not speak much English, had not produced great results in any statistical way but she had been very effective. Sometimes there is a big difference between producing measurable results and doing something that is truly effective.
Jesus never asked his disciples to produce any results. He simply asked them to be obedient and from that He would make them effective. What do you evaluate your life and your ministry by - results or effectiveness? We will take a look at this Sunday.
For the journey...
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