Something extraordinary occurred several years ago that I believe needs to be shared often…
It was during the Christmas season that *Mr. Mason walked into our office for the first time, and he was very angry with us.
The elderly man’s appearance was a bit tattered with uncombed hair and a ragged western shirt. With furrowed brow he stomped to the counter.
“May I help you?,” I asked.
“I didn’t get my paper!!,” he fired..
“Oh, I apologize, what’s your address so we can make sure that you receive it next week.”
“I’m NOT going to tell you that.”
(Crickets)
“Well, Sir, if we can just have your address ….”
“NO! Just give me my paper!”
“Yes Sir, here you go.”
Still wearing a scowl he huffed out of the office. We shrugged our shoulders and went back to work.
But, I could not get him off of my mind, so I prayed about it. The Lord showed me that deep hurt causes such anger, but His love never fails.
The next week the same thing happened, Mr. Mason flatly refusing to give us his address so that we could deliver his paper to him. Compassion welled up in my heart.
But this time, as he stormed out the door I followed him, and caught up to him as he was getting into an old beat up truck.
With all sincerity I told him, “Sir, I want you to know how sorry I am that you aren’t receiving your paper, but I am glad to see you each week.”
The next week Mr. Mason returned, but the scowl was gone, he had on a nice clean shirt and his hair was combed. He made his weekly request, but this time it was delivered in a much softer tone, “I’ve come to get my paper.”
I said, “Won’t you at least give us you name?”
“My last name is Mason,” he replied with a sheepish grin.
Well, this time he hung around for awhile, and told us that he used to work for a newspaper when he was very young. He went into some detail about that part of his life, and his stories were fascinating.
We sat on a bench outside of the office and he began to open up a bit. I learned that he was suffering from some serious health issues, and that his wife, whom he loved dearly, had died of cancer many years ago. Just a short time later he lost a 28 year old son to the disease as well.
To make matters worse, he believed that one of his grandchildren were stealing from him, so he trusted no one. This included the Carrier from our newspaper who had his route, that is why Mr. Mason did not want to give us his address. He was afraid that the Carrier might vandalize his property in retaliation for filing the complaint.
Mr. Mason was angry, and bitter, and very lonely.
By this time, Christmas was less than two weeks away, so we invited him to our Christmas dinner here at the paper. That seemed to make him happy. I asked him if he had his tree up yet, and he replied gruffly, “Na! Why do I need a tree?”
As I continued to seek the Lord about Mr. Mason that week, He put it on my heart to buy him a small 3 ft. prelit Christmas tree, and decorate it for him. My husband helped me pick out a couple of new western shirts that he thought would fit Mr. Mason, according to my description.
The dinner was great fun, employees and families cooked up some delicious food, and Mr. Mason was included as family. We had soft Christmas music playing in the background, and he laughed and entertained us with stories from his remarkable life, and everyone feel in love … with Mr. Mason.
After the dinner, he and I sat and talked awhile longer.
At one point He said, “I don’t know why God decided to take my wife and son. I asked Him not too. But He did anyway.”
(So, maybe that is where some of that anger came from. He was mad/disappointed at God.)
I said, “Mr. Mason, who told you that God took your wife and son?”
He thought about it a minute and said,”I guess I heard that in church at some time. Why? It’s true, ain’t it? God is responsible for everything that happens to us?”
“No, God is not responsible for the death of your family. Satan is. Satan stole their lives, but if they knew the Lord, He received them to Himself, and they are with Him now.”
He asked if that was in the Bible somewhere, I answered, “Yes, Sir, it is, Would you like me to show you?”
For a short while we looked at the verses together that declares the heart/good will of God, such John 10:10, 1 John 3:8, Jeremiah 29:11 and 3 John 1:2. Then we looked at the ministry of Jesus as a whole, not once did He take a person’s life, or refuse to heal anyone who came to Him.
Jesus is “…the image of the invisible God …” Colossians 1:15
When it was time to go, I asked him to wait, and discreetly, I brought out his Christmas tree and presents.
At first the look was shock, then a huge grin crossed his face, and he received it gladly.
Well, the next week Mr. Mason waltzed into the office, it was our turn to be surprised, as he presented us with a beautiful homemade cheesecake, that he had made himself.
We thanked him and told him how nice that was for him to do that. As he started to go, he stopped, and with tears in his eyes he said, “No, thank you all. I had given up on mankind! I didn’t think there was no more kindness left in this world, until I met you people. You folks know God.”
He left, and we just stood there, now with tears in our own eyes.
“It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance (change our minds).” Romans 2:4
Over the next several months Mr. Mason was a regular visitor, always totting a delicious cheesecake and delightful stories, and we were able to share many more talks about many things. I was able to help him with some insurance problems he was having regarding his prescriptions. We also prayed for his health, but he told me he was tired and, “wouldn’t mind leaving this place anyway.”
I remember one particular afternoon when he was asking me some questions about the Bible, and I told Mr. Mason about my own relationship with Jesus, and how He had transformed my life. He said, “Well, I hope that can happen to me. I ain’t been to church in years. I use to go with my wife ….”
I smiled, “You don’t have to be a Church goer to know God, but knowing God will give you a desire to go to church to fellowship with a family of like Believers, and serve with others who know Him also”
It grew quiet for a moment, a soft breeze came up and I began to share my testimony with Mr. Mason.
“You know, I was at home in my living room when I gave my heart to the Lord at the age of 33, and He met me there where I was, in truth He has never left our side since we were created in our Mother’s womb. He is just waiting for us to believe in Him, and receive Him.
Mr. Mason, God is no respecter of persons, Jesus has paid for your sins so that you can become a Child of God, all you need to do is respond to that saving grace by placing your faith in Jesus.” I read some more verses to him, from the book of John Chapter 3 and Romans Chapter 10. I told Him how God loved Him and wanted to have a personal relationship with him.
With all sincerity he asked me if I would pray for him, and with great joy I did. At that moment Mr. Mason, met Jesus, and he was saved by grace through faith – the power of the Holy Spirit working in him.
That sunny afternoon, in front of our office, Mr. Mason was reconciled with His Heavenly Father for eternity.
The Lord started to work immediately in Mr. Mason’s life, helping restore some of those relationships in his family. (Mr. Mason had shut out nearly every person close to him.)
We were blessed to have Mr. Mason for several more months, until his earthly body finally gave out and he went home to be with the Lord.
You know, every one reading this column has crossed paths with a “Mr. Mason,” at some point in their life. But we just don’t know what people are dealing with in their hearts.
I am not giving glory here to human kindness, but all glory goes to the Lord who “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
So, the reason I wrote this column, especially at this time of year, is because God works through His people, the body of Christ.
When a person slaps you in the face with a sour word, or rudeness or anger – please take a moment to step back, and remember Mr. Mason, let them see the Jesus in you, because God’s kind of love … never fails.
I will never forget Mr. Mason, I was so blessed to know him, even for a short while, but I am looking forward to some more of those talks with him, along with our Lord Jesus. Perhaps while munching on some cheesecake …
*Name changed for this column. All scripture taken from NKJV
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
