As I was driving along, I happened to glance in the rearview mirror and I saw people. Lots of people. Driving behind me, next to me, all around me, with blank, emotionless stares. Long faces with far off expressions. The thought immediately came to my mind, "Faces in the Mirror." Where are these faces going? Faces in the mirror. Unknown, countless, endless faces. Each with a story, each with a history, each with a name. All in need of a Savior.
"What's his name? Where is he headed? What are his dreams? What are his pains?" Faces.
The Lord spoke to me. "Mark, these are my people. These are my children. Have you witnessed to them? Have you shared your story with them? How have you represented me TODAY?" Sometimes we are so naive and hold hard to the mantra "Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words." I'm not discounting the power of love, truth and testimony but the apostle Paul tells us to "Preach the Word!" and that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Have I been courageous and talked about my King today? I was very convicted by that thought "faces in the mirror" and I meditated on it for several minutes.
After about 10 minutes of driving along at about 70 mph, I happened to glance in the rearview mirror again and there was a middle-aged man on his motorcycle right on my tail. I didn't think too much about it, but as the lane opened up next to me, he passed me on his bike at about 80 mph. He was an african american and out for a morning cruise, enjoying his ride. He had a sweet red Harley and he opened it up as he passed. I did think to myself that "he's driving a little crazy, especially with his helmet strapped on to the seat behind him." As he passed me, he sat back a little bit and let his left hand and arm rest on his lap while accelerating with his right hand. And then it happened. I'm not sure what occurred. I don't know if he hit a pot hole or someone swerved into his lane, regardless the results were horrific. He slammed into the concrete barrier. As everyone slowed down or pulled over, that thought "Faces in the mirror" hammered my heart. I passed him as it was pretty obviously that he had just died as he lay motionless on his back sprawled out in the road. I couldn't help but be torn up over the incident, and I'm certainly not over it yet.
An unknown man just met his Maker. A husband, a dad, a son or a friend, just died.
Did he believe in God? He does now.
Does he have regrets about his life here on earth? No undoing those decisions.
Had he kissed his wife goodbye and told her he loved her this morning? That opportunity won't occur again.
What choices could he have made to alter his life?
I could have prayed for him when I saw him...would it have changed the outcome?
What would he tell you and me now?
Work harder? Make more money? Spend more Saturdays golfing?
Or would he say that the greatest things in life are those things that are eternal. That Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and that 2000 years ago He was despised and rejected and hung on the cruel cross and that all of time has a pinnacle point, that of the resurrection of the Son of Man. Would this unknown man now tell us to spend every opportunity to speak of Christ because he now has an intimate reality of a Christless eternity?
"Lord, be with this man's family. Comfort them. I pray that your name would be glorified in some way. Use this event to transform my thinking and ignite me to speak out your name to those around me, not counting the cost nor being ashamed of the Name. Amen."
