This little guy is Joseph.
I met him at Living Faith Church in Entebbe, Uganda. He was among the group of children who came to see all of the commotion with the white people. They don’t have morning cartoons to watch, so watching the foreigners is probably the next best thing, right?
I’m used to being “picked” by a little one. God only knows the reason, but usually there’s a little kid who warms up to me and holds my hand. I watched that morning as each of us white folks slowly got a kid or two grabbing on to them. It looked a lot like a chemical reaction, when elements are drawn to each other. I saw the children and adults bonding, grabbing hands, giggling, covalently delighted, realizing how much they didn’t know they were missing until they found each other.
Just as I described, Joseph picked me. I thought this was nothing extraordinary. I thought I would spend about ten minutes with him, and then we’d go our separate ways as soon as evangelism started. Usually the children don’t come along door-to-door. Well, I was wrong. God wanted to show me more about His faithfulness through this little boy.
Joseph stayed by my side the whole morning.
He grabbed my hand and wanted to accompany me through evangelism. He had a determined look on his face, as if he had just decided that he had an important task to accomplish.
We started walking and soon found a Muslim man to talk to. He wanted to hear about Jesus, so I shared the gospel with him. We talked about our differences in beliefs and I shared about the power of Jesus’ name. He asked for prayer for his family and business, and after we prayed for him, we got up to move onward to the next divine appointment. Joseph stayed patiently put, and readily grabbed my hand again as we walked.
I looked down and saw his little bare feet, walking on the dirt, dodging trash, dodging mud. I thought “Why is this kid still here? This isn’t any fun for him, walking around barefoot.” I felt a pang of guilt for having let him come along. Even so, Joseph was still flashing me his toothless smile, walking willingly and purposefully holding my hand.
A thought flashed across my mind and I knew it was my Shepherd’s voice…
Do you see it yet?
I started tearing up, a lump forming in my throat. I fought past it, as we shared the gospel and encouraged a few more believers, all the while with Joseph by my side, holding my skirt, holding my hand.
There was nothing in it for him. There was no bribe of candy. There was no threat of a spanking. He just behaved. He just came along, willingly, quietly, joyfully. He stayed right beside me. He didn’t fight for my attention. As we walked back to the church, I carried him on my back.
Joseph taught me more that morning than I had learned in a while. Devotionals, books, and scholars had failed thus far to tap into this characteristic of God in a way that deeply affected me. I had read about it, but that morning I saw it.
Joseph stayed right beside me, holding my right hand.
“Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.”
Psalm 73:23
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Do you see it yet, that I am with you? Do you see it that I go with you? That I go because I want to, not because I have to? That I go joyfully with you, no matter where you go, no matter what the road looks like? Do you see that I delight in holding your hand and being with you? Do you feel my presence? Do you feel my love for you? Oh how I love you! Oh how I delight in being with you!
God’s faithfulness washed over me.
Jesus was looking right up at me, smiling with no baby teeth.
I know He is always with me, because He wants to be.
He truly loves me.
Therefore, I must be bold.
I must be strong.
I must not shrink back.
I must demolish strongholds.
I must fight for healing.
I must uphold the cause of the fatherless and the widows.
I must love willingly, faithfully.
I must preach, write, share, and comfort.
I must trust in the One who holds me.
I have no excuse or fear; He is constantly holding my hand.
I press on in obedience to His voice.
