STRANGER IN MY TOWN

On the news and in the papers, almost every day, were reports of more violence. A store had been broken into and after stealing what they wanted, they tore the place up. Another report of vandalism in the cemetery, broken headstones. A child was abused, taken by the State officials and placed in a foster home.

It was getting so it was not safe to walk on the streets at night. Two bars provided a safe haven for the drunkards and depraved.

I wondered why all this was happening. I could remember when the town had pride, and people were safe. There was no talk of drugs or violence.
Now we have a police force kept busy by the evils that beset the town.

Slowly I got up from my rocker, walked over to the window. The town seemed, for once, unusally quiet. As I looked out the window, I saw only one man standing in the street. Strange, I thought. His hair was long, and he wore a loose-fitting garment. As I stared, light seemed to glow around him. He turned toward my window and smiled.

I didn't know what to make of it, and it frightened me a bit - then I saw children running toward him. He knelt down and touched the head of a young crippled boy. Then stood again, and spread his arms, encircling the children with the glowing light.

Going to the door, and out into the street, I noticed that he was watching me. I kept on, as if mesmerized. Reaching the cirle of children, I got a better look at the stranger.

"Fear not" he said, "For I am with you always."
His eyes looked into my heart. I felt no fear of this stranger.

I saw his hands then. the places where spikes had pierced them, and the wound in his side -
Jesus had come back! I fell to my knees before Him.

Time passed as in a moment, although we might have been there for hours, listening to His word.
He told us that the evil had been vanquished; we would forever more be living in peace. He spoke of His Father's love for all of us.

Blessing us all, he started to ascend into the Heavens from which He came. "I will return again, when it is time for you to come Home" -
I felt the words more than heard them.

I felt the greatest peace. I looked up, and saw that the children were happily playing again.
Their eyes were clear and bright, and they smiled the smiles of angels.

From that moment on, the violence and crime in our town was a thing of the past. People were once more able to walk with no fear of being hurt.

As for me, I shall always remember that He will come again. In the meantime, I have dedicated my life to My Father in Heaven. In His time, I will be taken home. I have that faith and hope, knowing that "Thy will be done". I can trust in my God.

So if a stranger comes to your town, take a second look, and "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels, unawares.."