A Stranger

A woman, sitting in a chair after a church membership class. Gazing vaguely into space. Oblivious to the other conversations going on around her.
"Are you ok?"
". . . No."

What ensued was a conversation over two days which has changed me, possibly (hopefully) forever. This woman proceeded to pour out her life to me - a stranger. She didn't even know my name.

A story of such brokenness and pain and sin that I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by her frankness, her appalling misdeeds, her knowledge and desire to change, but inability to do so, and my own sin.

As I listened, I felt as though I was seeing what I could become. It was as though God put this woman in my life so that I would recognize what it looks like when a Christian ignores the commands of Scripture.

And it was a sobering realization.