Mistaken For Jesus

MISTAKEN FOR JESUS

Carolyn Gillette told the story of a hospice chaplain named Larry, and how he became friends with an 80-year-old lady named Mary. Mary was a hospice patient. Larry visited with her many times, and was greatly impressed by her faith. One day, he got a call that Mary had taken a turn for the worse. And that if he wanted to see her alive, he’d better go that day.

Larry went to visit his friend, and found her in a very deep sleep. Larry didn’t wake her up, because he knew Mary had been in a lot of pain. But just as he turned to go, she opened her eyes wide and stared right at him. Mary looked intently and then said to him, "Oh, for a minute, I thought you were Jesus."

They laughed about it for a moment and had a good visit together. Just two hours later Mary did see Jesus face to face.

But Mary’s comment really hit a note with Carolyn Gillette. Carolyn later wrote: "I believe we all ought to be mistaken for Jesus, every once in a while. God has given you a mission, just as God gave a mission to Jesus. If you’re living it out, if you’re showing his unconditional love, if you’re treating other people with care and compassion; if you’re bringing good news to the poor, and healing to the sick, and freedom to those whose lives are being torn apart. Then maybe someone will look at your life and say, ’Oh, for a minute I thought you were Jesus.’"

(Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, Sermon: "What God Gives" - Found in Jan. 25, 2004 email from Sermonillustrations.com. From a sermon by Rick Crandall, "Lord, We Need Your Help!" 2/9/2009)