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The Big Man
Missionary Mel Erickson cautiously stepped out of his Speed the Light car. Oh, my! he thought as he saw the two gangs of Native Americans. Missionary Erickson was all alone. He knew he was in danger.
The two family gangs had gathered to fight. Missionary Erickson had been told about the upcoming fight, so he got into his Speed the Light car and hurried to where they hadgathered. He wanted to try to stop the fighting, but what could he do on his own?
When
missionary Erickson got out of the
car, he saw the two gangs all lined up, ready to
fight one another. Missionary Erickson knew that if the fight began, many of the men and boys would be hurt; some would even be killed.
Putting his own life in danger, missionary Erickson approached the two gangs. “Don’t fight each other,” he said to them. “Fighting is not the answer. The true answer is God.”
Missionary Erickson was not sure what the men would do to him. Would they hurt him? Would they fight anyway? To his surprise, the men began to leave. One by one they put down their sticks and walked away. Finally only the two leaders of the families were left. Missionary Erickson breathed a prayer of thanks.
Addressing the two leaders, missionary Erickson thanked them for listening to him and for stopping the fight. But the leaders said it wasn’t him that made them stop. It was the big "Angel-looking" man who rode in the car with the missionary. When the car stopped and missionary Erickson got out, the men saw a big man, a big “angel-looking” man, get out of the car too. That big man scared them all away.
Missionary Erickson was surprised. He turned to look at his car. The car sat all by itself; there was no one else there. But the men and boys had seen a big “angel-looking” man and were scared away. God had sent an angel to ride in the Speed the Light car and stand behind missionary Mel Erickson to help him during this dangerous time. Missionary Erickson didn’even know the angel was there, but all the gang members saw it!
It’s important to pray for missioneries. They often put their lives in danger, like Mel Erickson did.
©2005 The General Council of the Assemblies of God. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce and adapt lesson components for exclusive use in the local church. Any other use requires written permission.
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