Life isn’t fair. I left my cell phone on a plane and never found it. I lost three pounds on a diet and found five more. I lost a sock in the dryer and it somehow joined the other missing socks. That’s what Saturn’s ring consists of, you know? Missing socks. Have you ever lost something important? Maybe you’ve been lost yourself.
Two hunters got lost in the woods. The first hunter said, “Don’t worry. All we have to do is shoot into the air three times, someone will hear. They’ll come find us.” So they shot in the air three times. No one came. They waited then tried again; still no response. Finally, the second hunter said,
“Let’s try again, but it better work this time. We’re down to our last three arrows.”
Maybe you feel like those hunters. The battery in your GPS is dead, you have no idea where you are or where you’re going, and you’re running out of arrows. Sherman Smith felt that way when he was traded to the San Diego Charges.
Sherman was a star running back for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. He’d earned the nickname “Sherman Tank” for his ability to bowl over defensive linemen. He could hardly cross a Seattle street without being asked for an autograph. Then without warning, he was traded to the Chargers, and found himself in a city where no one knew him. Things got worse when he blew out his knee and wondered, Lord, why did you ship me to San Diego?
Sherman had a strong faith in Jesus, and as his knee mended, he participated in team meetings and joined the club on road trips. Sherman was rather bold about his faith. While flying home after a game, he stood in the aisle leading a Bible study for several players. A defensive back named Miles McPherson asked Sherman to move so he could use the rest room. Sherman didn’t know that Miles had a line of cocaine in his pocket and was planning to get high. But he asked Miles a question, “if you were to die today, what would happen to you?”
“I’d go to heaven.”
“How do you know?”
“Look man, I went to Catholic school for eight years. I’m going to heaven for that.”
“Nah, you ain’t going to heaven for that,” said Sherman.
Then he told Miles a story from the Gospel of John, how Nicodemus, a well-educated Jewish man came to Jesus one night for answers. Jesus told him,
“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
Those words echoed in Miles’ mind for weeks. Then, one April day, after doing cocaine all night, Miles got on his knees and gave his life over to Christ. He prayed, “Jesus, I ask you to be my Saviour today. I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” Miles never went back to cocaine. He started telling others what Jesus had done. I talked to Miles on the phone not long ago. He’s a well-known speaker and pastor in San Diego now. Miles and Sherman both say they know why the “Sherman Tank” was traded from Seattle to San Diego. God had a plan.
