My Friend
Asaph 2004
I went for a walk the other day and I came across this man who was working frantically. I mean he was working so fast and hard that it sort of startled me. Of course, me being the self-centered person that I am, I just had to idle on over and ask him what on earth he was doing. Without so much as slowing down or even looking up he said, Im building bleachers Baby, Im building bleachers. And sure enough, as I got closer I could see that was exactly what he was doing. One seat at a time, each with a different name on it, he had actually built quite an impressive stand of bleachers. In fact, as I strained to see the end of the row it dawned on me that the show is going to be very hard to see from the end of this line, wherever the end might be. So, with an unmistakable air of indignation, I asked the man about the unfairness of it all for the people who get there late and have to sit way down there at the end, but he replied, Oh no my friend, you see, Im only building front row seats. Thats all the plan calls for. All the plan calls for? I thought. So I looked closer at the seats and yes, they all had the phrase Front Row Only stamped right into the molding. I mean, these are bleachers! Why is he putting seats in the back row if they are stamped Front Row Only?
Well, as you can imagine, I was feeling a wee bit skeptical at this fellows illogical responses to my intelligent and well reasoned inquiries, and I decided it was my duty as a fellow human being to try and bring this guy back in touch with reality. So I told the man that he and I should take a moment and make sure that all this labor of his was not in vain. I suggested that we go ahead and sit in a couple of the seats, Just to make sure they are all front row like he says. Well, in all my life I have never seen such a look of pain, and compassion, and sadness as I saw on his face at that moment. Finally he says, Oh my friend, there is not a seat here for you. In all these seats there is not one with your name on it.
I cant really explain it, and I dont know why it happened, but my mind raced out of control for a moment for a moment. As I came to myself I realized that I should humor him along to regain control of the situation. So I asked the man if it would be all right if I built myself a seat, and he replied, Of course you are free to try if you think you must, but why dont you just let me build it for you? Im really quite good at it. I thought to myself, Wow, just who does this guy think he is? and I set about surveying the materials and tools that were lying around and formulating a plan for building a seat with my name on it. I could do this. How hard could it be?
So I strolled on over to his layout table, gathering up tools and materials as I went. There I found the engineering specifications and, quite frankly, a very impressive set of blueprints for something as simple as a bleacher seat. In fact, I was so overwhelmed by the detail and precision of it all that I decided to just wing it. After all, its just a seat.
I wont go into all the details of my seat building work, but one thing I must mention is the wind. Every time I tried to get a good measurement for my work the wind would come up and make it difficult. My eyes would water so I couldnt see well enough, or the wind would blow the measuring tape out of my hand, or kick up dust and debris so I had to wait. And on top of it all the man kept interrupting me. Every few minutes he would stroll over and offer to build it for me. No charge, hed say and it would be my pleasure to do it. Please allow me.
Well, undaunted and determined, by sheer strength of will, I finished my seat. I tested it on the ground and it fit me great. I had scratched my name into it and had labeled it Front Rowe Only. (I dont know how I managed to misspell the word Row but I had). So I took the seat over to where the man was working and asked if we could install my seat with the rest he had made. Once again he offered to build me one himself. The arrogance of the man! By now Id had my fill of his attitude and I let go of my anger. I accused him of being self-righteous and narrow minded. Its just a seat! Its just a seat! I screamed at him. Mine is as good as yours!
At that he calmly said, No my friend, its not. You see mine is perfect in every way. There is not a scratch or blemish anywhere on it, and it fits perfectly into the framework every time. His voice was so gentle that all my anger just vanished. As he spoke these words he lifted the seat I had built up into the framework and showed me how poorly it fit. Not one measurement had come out right, and the longer he held it there the worse it looked. Finally, I begged him to take it down. I was so ashamed and embarrassed by this horrible thing I had worked so very hard on, that all I could do was sob.
The man took no glory in his victory. In fact he was full of compassion and kindness for me. He came over next to me and just put his arm around me, something no one had done for as long as I could remember. Through my tears I finally managed to whisper would you build a seat for me? and without hesitation he said Oh my child, I already have. When I looked up there it was. Beautiful and perfect! It was emblazoned on the front with my name and right there, stamped into the molding, it said Front Row Only in the Very Throne Room of God!
He has been fitting me to the seat He built for me ever since. Thank you Lord Jesus.
Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Asaph
