No Idea

In 1997 I spoke at a youth camp situated by a beautiful lake in central Finland. One afternoon a sixteen-year-old called Timo asked to talk to me. We sat on a bench overlooking the lake and Timo told me his story. It was tragic. His father was an alcoholic and used to come home drunk and beat Timo and his mother. The boy felt powerless to defend either himself or his mum. Then, when Timo was nine, his father left home and never returned. Timo told me that he had no idea where his dad was or whether he was even alive. He told me that he felt both angry and depressed and struggled to believe in God's Father-love for him.

I prayed with Timo and we agreed we would meet again the next day. The following afternoon I was wearing my favorite sweater. I loved that sweater. It looked great and was comfortable and warm. As we sat on the bench overlooking the lake, I noticed Timo shivering in his T-shirt. I sensed the Lord telling me to lend Timo my sweater. I resisted. The Lord insisted. Reluctantly I gave him the sweater. It was five sizes too big for the boy, but he told me how much he liked it. To my dismay, the Lord then told me to give Timo my sweater as a gift. I objected. The Lord insisted. Timo seemed delighted. I left for the airport minus my favorite jumper and not in the best of moods.

Sixteen years later I was back in Finland, speaking at a pastors' conference. Before my final talk, my translator told me he wanted to say something to the congregation. He stood up and said:
My name is Timo and I am thirty-two years old. Sixteen years ago I went to a camp by a lake. Mike was the speaker but he doesn't remember me! I told him the story of my alcoholic father and how as a result I struggled to believe in and receive God's love for me. Mike listened to me over two afternoons. On the second afternoon I was cold and Mike gave me his sweater. Then he went back to England. What Mike doesn't know is that God used that sweater to change my life. My father had never given me any gifts and I was amazed when this stranger gave me such a great sweater. I began to think that maybe God was behind this gift and that maybe I could have hope that my life might change.

He then reached into a bag and took out my jumper. 'I kept this for sixteen years,' he said, 'But today I give it back as it's done its job.'

I was stunned. I had no idea why God told me to give my sweater away and for sixteen years it had been a puzzle to me. Then God, in his grace, showed me what he was doing behind my back! The lesson? Keep being obedient. Keep on sowing seeds. Walk faithfully even when you don't see the results immediately. You never know what God might be up to.