Tom was from Vegas but had been just about everywhere in the U.S. He drove for a living but had done a lot of things for work. "Oklahoma City? I know that city well.  When tornados destroyed part of Frontier City I lived there for months helping rebuild it." The ease of our conversation settled quickly that we were friends.

Over the course of the next couple of days, I saw Tom several times as he kind of rose above other tourists and could be spotted among statues carved in stone.  He had a personal guide for his "trip of a lifetime." He was loving every minute of it.  "It's hard for me to get around, but I am loving every minute of it." When I would spot Tom at the next stop on the mandatory site-seeing agenda, I would walk to him to get his latest report on how things were going.  The ruins of ancient temples for gods with birds for heads were very interesting. I loved seeing the history of man and sorting through in my head and heart my so small place and God's incomprehensive greatest throughout time, but I watched also for Tom, my friend.  I've watched my Dad all my life seek out and visit with the Tom's he met. It's him in me that enjoys hearing the stories of men like Tom.

As my friends and I arrived at the airport to fly back to Cairo, I looked across the gate and saw Tom sitting with three men who turned out to be from Georgia. I had a lot in common and in purpose with those three wise men (if you will). Tom was not lacking in conversation or company.  As he traveled around Egypt solo he was not alone.

As all of the passengers on our plane deboarded in Cairo and made our way to retrieve our luggage, I found Tom standing next to me again.  We determined this was our final stop to share.  He was flying home through New York, and I was headed to Abu Dhabi. After a handful of friendly conversations in a land so far from our homes, I reached into my bag and pulled out my card.  I started to hand it to him and said, "Tom I work for a ministry and if there is ever a time I can pray for you I would love to. I've enjoyed our visits..." As I finally raised my face to see his I could see we were not going to end on a high note.  The friendly face I had seen several times over the past few days had a look of disgust on it. With a tight anger he said, "Well this here is where me and you disagree." And he turned his face from me because he couldn't even look at me anymore.   I said, "Ok, Tom. It was just on my heart to give that to you." I put my card back in my bag and turned to walk away.  With the soft voice of my friend returning, he said: "Haley you have a safe flight home." I said, "you too, Tom," and walked back toward my friends.

I had not hurt Tom.  I had not rejected him, made him feel less than, judged him, talked bad about his momma, disregarded him, or tried to force him to believe.  Not that I haven't ever done those things to others, but I hadn't to Tom.

But, someone had.

Was it a long time ago?  Was it his family?  Was it people in his community?  Was it an ex-wife?  A loss he couldn't understand?  A hope that was never realized? A disappointment that was crushing and he blamed God? Were the "Christians" he met unkind, angry, judgemental of his sin instead of encouraging of his freedom? Had anyone loved Tom like Christ wants us to?

Or, did the look on his face develop in more recent times?  Has he been watching the news?  Has he heard those who attack and lie about Christianity; or those who proclaim to be Christian but have gone beyond speaking God's truth to spewing constant hatred?  It could not have been me that made Tom's face turn to disgust, not because I'm not capable of that, but just because literally we didn't have time or interaction to warrant it. Maybe someone had tried to conform Tom to their own conviction/religion/righteousness instead of taking Tom to Jesus. Maybe that had grossed Tom out so bad that he had to turn his face away from me.  Maybe Tom had confused a follower of Christ, imperfect and prone to try to prove ourselves, with The Christ who loves him so completely. Maybe you've confused those of us imperfect and prone to try and prove ourselves with Jesus, too.

Whatever Tom's frustration that led him to be disgusted by me, God knows.  God sees past Tom's hurt and actions.  I know because God has seen past mine so many times.  For a minute lets pull up to the 30,000 foot cruising altitude and look for God in these scenes that took place along the banks of the Nile...

There Tom was in Egypt and nosey me who thought he looked a bit like home and kind of like my uncles building a greater level of compassion and interest in him, kept stepping into his path.  Three men who know God sat surrounding him in the little airport in Luxor with a couple of hours till lift off. Tom was being pursued, and not by me just to be clear, but by the One who knows why Tom was grossed out by my offer to pray for him.  Someone knows the reason Tom's heart is hard toward that final conversation I tried to have with him, and that Someone followed him even to Egypt. Someone loves Tom and heard whoever has prayed for him.  Maybe it is his family, maybe a neighbor, maybe one of his children keeps praying for Tom's heart to soften.  On their prayers, God is still moving.  I've prayed that God would keep sending others to Tom.  I've prayed God would send Tom a Herman Forrest.  The man whom God sent to lead my Grandpa Corky to Christ while sitting on the front porch drinking coffee one Christmas Eve morning.  Pa respected Herman, and although many had planted seeds for so many years, it was Herman who got to reap the harvest that morning. It was time. Maybe Tom's time is coming.  Maybe your time is coming?

I could have read Scripture to Tom, tried to wow him with smarty theological talk, I could have threatened him with Hell if he didn't repent and change his ways. I could have called him a fool for not believing. I could have walked away from our interactions feeling pretty self-satisfied that I had been so "bold" as to ask him if I could pray for him.  None of those things are what made Tom's voice soften in his last words to me.  It was the attention and love that God had put in my heart for him that made Tom second think his angry tone. God was carving the stone of Tom the Pyramid's heart with love, His most effective tool.  God had offered me the opportunity to be part of showing that love for a minute one time in Egypt.  So many times I fail. I think more about the reactions of the Toms, or of my own agenda for my day or my life.  Or, I measure if they love me or not before I choose to show them love.  On and on and on. Time wasters.

Love one another.  Not enable one another.  Not be fake to one another.  Not pretend so you look good to one another. Love one another, as Christ loved us all the way to the cross and then "up from the grave He arose, (He arose)."  Let your love be what softens their tone, so you can show them where your love comes from and Who your love represents... said me to myself over and over and over when I am tempted to do just the opposite.

"This is how God showed His love among us:  He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." John 4:9-12.

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Find out more about this love this weekend for Easter, when Love literally nailed it.  If you can't attend church somewhere many churches offer online services.  You can check out the services at my church at www.north.church.