The Stranger

What is it too have everything that you ever wanted, without peace.

The Stranger

Ryan Wells was a successful business man. He had accomplished everything that he wanted in his life. He was married to a beautiful wife and he had three amazing kids. He had an immaculate home, two luxurious cars, a winter vacation home, and a yacht. He vacationed in exotic locations and he was friends with some very wealthy and very influential people. He was living the America dream.

If you were to examine his life, you would think that Ryan was completely happy. However, this was not the case. Even with all that he possessed, all of his success, and his beautiful family, something was missing in Ryan’s life. Each day he felt emptiness or a void in his life. Day by day that void seemed to do nothing but grow.

Of course he felt horrible for feeling this way, he was not a conceited person and he was raised to work hard and to appreciate all that was given to you. So he tried to keep this feeling to himself. He figured that he could fill the void with extra-curricular activities.

He tried running and exercising more than he had in the past and while this helped his body physically and gave him more energy, it did nothing to erase the void that he felt.

Then he tried picking up a new hobby. He wanted to do something peaceful, so he began to fish during the weekends and on his days off. Fishing provided the tranquility that he needed to counterbalance the stress from his job. However, it did nothing to fill the void.

He finally told his wife because if he had held it in for any longer he would have lost his mind. She suggested that he needed to see a psychologist, thinking that they could possibly get to the root of the problem. Ryan reluctantly agreed and went to the best psychologist that money could buy. This fail as well, rather it was from his unwillingness to open up to a stranger or from the doctor’s incompetence, he did not know. He just knew that it was not the answer to his problem, though he did not even know what his problem was, let alone the answer to it.

His wife then said that it was probably just a midlife crisis and that it would eventually go away. This was years ago and though he put on a fake façade for his wife, he did not want to burden her with his continuing problems, the void continued to exist. The void became so relevant in Ryan’s life that he accepted it has commonplace and did everything in his power to ignore it and continued to try and live a happy life. This method was not successful, in fact it seem to agitate the void and brought it to the point where it was almost unbearable.

Drugs, both prescribed and illegal, were not an option for Ryan. He had saw many of his friends, some smarter and more ambitious than himself, destroy their lives because of drugs. He promised himself that he would not fall victim to the same fate. However, his options were running low and he was at the end of his rope.

Thankfully, just when all hope was gone and the future looked bleak, Ryan would meet a stranger who would change his life. This stranger could not have come at a better time. He was right on time.

********

On this day Ryan was going about his daily routine. He was not looking for anything to fill his void; he had long given up hope. However, most treasures are found when we stop looking for them.

Ryan was on his way to get lunch at his favorite sandwich restaurant. The restaurant was only a couple minutes away from his office so he walked like he usually did. On this day he just happened to see a man sitting in the alley of the sandwich restaurant and an adjacent building. The man was obviously a vagrant so most people stayed clear of him. On most days he would have too, but on that day something touched his heart. He realized that for all of his diligence and hard work, at a flip of a coin he could have been in the very same position. So without thinking he decided to offer the man lunch.

The man held no sign nor did he have his hand out asking for help. He just looked at the people that passed by him with a look of dismay upon his face. The look upon the man face made Ryan feel guilty as he wondered how many times he had passed by the man without a single thought. He felt a sense of redemption as he approached the man.

“Excuse me sir, would you like something to eat?” Ryan asked, hoping he wasn’t being to straightforward.

Instantly the look of dismay on the man’s face was replaced with a look of joy.

“Young man, were you talking to me?” The man asked.

“Yes sir. Please beg my pardon, but I was wondering if you would like to have lunch with me?”

The man smile and before he could answer Ryan saw the appreciation in his eyes.

Ten minutes later, Ryan and the man shared a park bench as the enjoyed their lunch. No words were spoken while they ate, however both of the man enjoyed each other’s company. People stared at them but neither man cared. Ryan felt at peace while he sat with the man and peace was a feeling that he had long forgotten.

After they finished eating they sat in silence before the man asked Ryan a question.

“Do you know who I am?”

Ryan was taken aback by the question. He looked hard at the man’s face but all that he saw was a stranger.

“I am sorry I don’t.” He finally replied.

“And yet you still fed me when I hungered. Others claim to know me and yet they walk by me without pause, but you helped a stranger in need.” The man said as he turned his gaze upon the sky.

Ryan did not know how to respond so he didn’t. He figured that the man was probably delusional and was happy to be talking to someone, it did not bother him one bit. He was enjoying his new found peace too much to care.

Finally after a couple of more minutes passed, Ryan looked at his watch and saw that it was time for him to return to work. He did not want to leave because it was something about the man that made him feel whole, and he knew that when he left the feeling would leave as well. He was already looking forward to sharing lunch with the man the next day and the day after that.

Not knowing what else to do, Ryan pulled out a twenty dollar bill and offered it to the man. However, the man waved the money away. He then pulled out a crisp envelope from his pocket and held it out for Ryan to take.

“Take this my son, but do not open it until you get home tonight. Reveal the content only to yourself. Now go so you won’t be late.”

Ryan at a loss for words took the envelope, thanked the man, and returned to his office.

It seemed to be the longest day at work every for Ryan, as the envelope seemly burned in his pocket. The clock rallied against five p.m., each tick came slower and slower. Many times Ryan wanted to end the agony and just open the envelope however he tamed his curiosity, and kept his word to the man.

When Ryan finally got home he kissed his wife and checked on his kids before he retired to his study alone. Carefully he opened the envelope, not knowing what to expect. The content in the envelope at first seemed anticlimactic; it only contained a perfectly folded piece of paper. It was only until Ryan read the words on the paper when he realized that he had just received the greatest gift a person could receive.

The letter read: Ryan Wells, I have heard your cries and I have seen your tears. I came when you call but you did not notice me. This was no matter for I am patient and I knew that you would come. I am He that can and will fill the void in your life. Seek me and my father’s kingdom first and I shall give you the rest that you seek. For I have already blessed you with material things that will fade in time. Now I will give you a treasure that will last throughout eternity. For when I was hungry you fed me and now I will fill your spirit’s appetite with the living word. Now go forth and let your light shine for all to see. You are mine and I am yours. Abide in me and I will abide in you. Now that we have met, no longer am I a stranger to you. Say my name and I will come to your aid, from now until the end of time.

Tears flowed down Ryan’s face as he read the letter again and again. He knew that he had been saved and that the void in his life had been filled.

******

Ryan and his family lived happily ever after. He passed on his experience to his family and to anyone willing to listen. Though the storms of life continued to come, Ryan never worried or felt any emptiness again. Because he knew that he had a friend and a Savior that could calm the seas and pause the winds with just three words. Peace be still! Do you know him?