WAY TO GO WAYNE!

An incredible thing happened today.

In a message on the importance of doing life together we did a physical demonstration. I asked four volunteers from the audience to come on stage and surround an empty chair. The plan was for me to sit in the chair, ask one volunteer to try and lift me on his own (a huge task!), and then have all four easily lift the chair with me in it. The illustration is simple but clear - we can do together what we could never do alone!

Things did not quite go as planned. An older gentleman quickly volunteered and as he stepped on stage I immediately recognized him. It was Wayne, a man in our congregation with obvious special needs. Before we knew it Wayne had taken a seat and made himself really comfortable in the chair!

On the fly I thought, "No problem, Wayne's a big enough guy. If he will just stay in the chair when we lift it, this can work." As expected, one could not lift the chair alone. But I was not prepared for what followed. No, Wayne did not get scared and jump out of the chair. Quite the opposite actually. As we four men gathered around Wayne and lifted him into the air, he gleely swung his feet and smiled like a kid in a candy store.

That was when it hit me. This is it! This is exactly it! Here was a guy with real (and significant) special needs. And the guys around him were lifting him up, giving him the experience of a lifetime, showing him that he was special indeed...to us and to God! What a beautiful picture to see Wayne in that chair held up by his brothers in Christ. It was an incredible thing that I will not soon forget.

Following worship a lady introduced herself as a first time guest to our church. She said with deep sincerity, "I was supposed to be here today. It touched me to see the man with special needs lifted up," she added, "because our daughter has special needs." Isn't God incredible?