Hello RFK donors and friends. I usually tell a story about a camper, but this is a great story about a new friend.
A few weeks ago, I met a man named Jack Gutman. He told a few jokes at a men’s ministry luncheon, and the speaker mentioned something that Jack did a long time ago that was very special, so special that I was determined to meet him after the luncheon.
Jack’s story was so amazing, we later met for breakfast and he shared an incredible encounter he had that I think RFK volunteers and donors need to hear.
Jack had been a comedian in his mid 20’s, then he managed a drug store, and found his way into selling life insurance. Because he was so good with people, he quickly advanced in the company. Another company realized how good he was, so they recruited him to their company, then another company recruited him, and then another company recruited him away. Each time, he got more pay and prestige until he was in the top 20 life insurance salespeople in that company nationwide. Not bad.
All along Jack experienced success, he tried to grow in his faith, but he also struggled with early life trauma which caused him to occasionally make some poor decisions. Success also led to self-sabotage.
Years went by, and Jack found himself at another employer where he had brief opportunities to meet with customers. His interactions were only 2-5 minutes long at this job, and he was intentionally looking for and praying for ways to interact with customers in these short segments.
He decided to ask each customer, “How is life treating you?”
He saw lots of customers and heard lots of answers. Some customers were angry, some happy, many were unresponsive and every once in a while, a customer was truly thankful and had a heartfelt conversation with Jack.
One day a young lady came through Jack’s line who was pregnant and he asked her, “How is life treating you?” She indicated, not so good, and explained her troubling situation of the moment. Jack shared a few brief thoughts of encouragement, but this time he sensed she needed more, so he mentioned that he would have a break in about 10 minutes, and if she cared to wait until then, he would be willing to chat with her. She accepted the offer and when the time came, Jack spent about 10 minutes hearing her story, offering encouragement and a smile and then he took time to pray with her.
She went on her way and Jack went back to work.
Several months went by, and Jack was invited to another gathering at a church to tell a joke or two at a fundraiser. While standing in front of the crowd, he noticed a young woman waving and calling his name. Jack went to her and discovered it was the woman that he had prayed for months earlier. She excitingly introduced Jack to her husband. Her husband said, “Is this the Jack, you’ve been telling me about?” She said, “yes, this is the Jack who prayed with me.” She said, “Jack, you saved my life!” Then she looked over at a young baby boy and she said, “Jack, I’d like to introduce you to my son, his name is Jack.” She said, “I named him after you!!!!”
Jack began to cry. He was immediately overwhelmed by such an honor from such a small act of kindness.
“Jack, you saved my life!”
Although Jack didn’t know it at the time, his small act of kindness and prayer was what she desperately needed at that moment.
How is it, that a little input can result in a great impact?
It's the same question as, how can 2 fish and 5 loaves result in 12 baskets of leftovers?
The answer is God’s blessing.
Let’s take a look at this story with a deeper perspective.
With intention, Jack prayed and looked for opportunities to bring encouragement to people even though he only had a few minutes of interaction with each customer.
Jack shared that encouragement with many customers: some rejected it, many were neutral, but a few really appreciated his reaching out, and at least this one woman needed that encouragement desperately.
Jack was blessed to have found her later, and privileged to hear “the rest of the story” about how he impacted her life.
Let me describe it this way:
1. Jack put forth faithful effort to encourage people.
2. The faithful effort led to transformation in this young lady.
3. Jack was blessed to hear “the rest of the story”.
Here’s the thing I want RFK volunteers, donors and others, to consider.
We all want “the rest of the story.” We all want to know our efforts transformed lives, to know we have made a difference.
What if Jack hadn’t gone to the church meeting, or if the young lady had not gone, and Jack never found out that there was a little boy named after him?
If Jack had not found out about the rest of the story, that means he wouldn't have known, but it does not mean that the transformation didn’t happen.
Just because you don't know about the transformation, does not mean it didn't happen.
If one of our volunteers hasn’t had their “rest of the story” yet, please understand that it doesn’t mean that the transformation hasn't happened, it just means they haven’t heard the rest of the story yet.
I believe all over this country, RFK volunteers have been transforming lives in mighty and spectacular ways.
What caused the transformation? Acts 8:6 uses the English word “miracle or signs” to describe Peter healing and doing great works on the way to Samaria. That word in the Greek is
sēmeíon –(say-mi'-on):
a sign, typically miraculous, especially to confirm, corroborate or authenticate the Lord’s purpose, by doing what mere man cannot replicate or take credit for.
Jack can take credit for being intentional, for praying ahead of time, for being an encourager and for asking customers, “how is life treating you”? Jack can take credit for his input, but he can never take credit for impacting the woman’s life so much that she named her child after him. That is something mere man cannot replicate or take credit for.
Sēmeíon moments are happening at Royal Family KIDS.
I want this story to encourage readers, donors and all the RFK volunteers across the country that when we offer little bits of input with God’s blessing, we can achieve great moments of impact.
Let me add a little more to Jack’s story.
I told you about Jack being a top salesman in the country, and being recruited by numerous companies. It's a good feeling to be wanted and rewarded.
But Jack did have some trauma in his life, and after he retired from work, he found himself with a generous heart, but an unwise heart. Jack misspent some of his money, and generously gave away too much of his money. At the age of 85 Jack was broke. Eventually he was living on food stamps and the generosity of friends and the church benevolent fund.
Jack felt like a failure and he was depressed. It was in this setting that Jack had to go back to work at a local retail store. He was no longer the high paid salesman with a company car, corner office and prestige. He was now an 85-year old checker at Wal-Mart.
It was under these “less than ideal” life conditions that Jack decided, if he had to work, he could still do something to encourage people with his 2-5 minutes scanning items in the checkout line.
I felt bad for Jack that he was in this difficult situation. But I was also impressed and encouraged that in those less than ideal life conditions, he still found a way to live out his faith, encourage people, and make a difference even though he was broke at 85 and he had to go back to work.
I mentioned that Jack did something very special a long time ago that compelled me to want to meet Jack.
When Jack was 18 years old, he visited Europe at a place called Normandy, France on June 6, 1944 known as D-Day.
He was a medic for the US Navy arriving at Utah Beach.
Later, Jack was transferred to the Pacific theater where he was a medic for the invasion of Okinawa.
Jack saw some terrible things as a medic that caused long-term PTSD in his life, and the trauma led him to sabotage some of his own success.
Just so you know, Jack’s application for a military pension was finally approved so he has received counseling and therapy to better manage his PTSD and his life and finances are much, much better today.
As a medic, Jack treated the broken, the burned and blown to pieces.
He treated them with bandages and tourniquets and morphine.
As a Medic, he did what he was trained to do, and then he sent them back to someone else for further treatment.
Jack was involved in two of the biggest and bloodiest battles of World War II, and Jack is a hero to me.
The RFK volunteers are going to camp and mentoring club.
They are going to treat the broken, the battered and bruised.
Our RFK volunteers will treat the kids with kindness, joy, patience and 3 meals a day, with swimming and drama and birdhouses and be the hands and feet of Jesus.
They’ll do what they’ve been trained to do and then they too, will send the kids back to someone else for further treatment, and further hope, for further opportunities, and they’ll send the kids back into the rest of the plan that God has each of their lives.
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Jack is a hero because of what he did, and RFK volunteers are heroes because of what they do for the least of these.
