This picture has been sourced from the internet

This is a letter from a friend that I received this morning:

I am amazed at how God continues to find me, even when I'm not particularly looking for Him.

On the weekend I was in Redfern, in the inner city area of Sydney, taking photographs. I had noticed a little earlier in the afternoon a junkie couple scowling at me for walking through the area with a camera and it occurred to me that perhaps I was making myself a big target. Not long after I was in a back alley photographing an old terrace house when I was suddenly accosted by a threatening figure.

"Come here mate... I want to talk to you. I need to get something to eat and if you give me some money, I'll be nice to you."

There was no doubt that he was putting the acid on me. I was a long way from my natural habitat with an expensive camera around my neck and the only prayer that came up from my heart was, "Please Lord, don't let him take my camera." I reached into my wallet and pulled out $20, nonchelantly saying, "sure mate, no problems." My overiding thought was that if I could get out of this situation for $20 it would be a very good deal.

As soon as I gave him the money, his whole demeanor changed towards me. He said, "well thanks a lot, My name is Jack and I come from Broadmeadow in Newcastle. I've been living on the streets here in Sydney for the last three months and it's been aweful. I got kicked out of my house in Newcastle and I couldn't find anywhere else to live and I ended up here in Sydney and now for three months I've been living without any welfare payments on the street."

As I walked up the alley onto the main road (and safety!) I said to Jack, "well I'm really sorry to hear that Jack, it must be very difficult." I wasn't really feeling any sympathy for Jack - I just wanted to negotiate myself into a more favourable situation.

When we got to the corner Jack stopped and looked me right in the eyes; "Would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me? I'll shout you a cup of tea" (with my money!!!)

I said, "no thanks Jack, I've got to get on".

What happened next was very strange. Jack stopped, looked at me and said, "I'm a good Christian, you know. Thanks for being nice to me. I'll say a prayer for you."

I was a little shocked and didn't really know how to respond and still felt a little dubious about the Chirstian virtue of Jack the Standover Man. To be nice I said, "Well thankyou Jack and God bless you."

Jack tilted his head a little to the side and said, "Well would you like me to say a prayer for you right now?"

I said, "Well thanks that would be lovely"

Jack took off the cap he was wearing and held it to his chest. From two feet away he looked deep into my eyes and began to pray "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy Name..." As he prayed I felt as if I was surrounded by the love of God, and this street, that had been just a few moments ago a place of hostility, felt like it was home.

When he finished his prayer, Jack took my hand in both of his, blessed me in the name of God and we parted company.

It occurred to me that I had never been coerced into giving money to anyone on the streets of my leafy suburb in Turramurra. But then again, neither have I ever received any kind of prayer from a neighbour, let alone one that was suffused with the love of God. It made me realise that with every act we take to protect ourselves, we are also making ourselves difficult to reach. Whole communities can be built on this premise. No downside, but no genuine connection either.

I'm not saying Jack was a great saint in disguise, but who knows, maybe he was. I do know that I want to be reachable by the Lord more than I am and that I don't have enough Jacks in my life.