Harold Keller

I believe that God talks directly to people, but, at other times, He gets our attention through other people. One such time was last week at the Reserve Post Office. He used another person to send me a message.

I was making a transaction at the counter and in walks Mrs. Rita Perrilloux. She is the wife of Pastor Steven Perrilloux of the Riverside Christian Church in Reserve. We greeted each other with the familiar, casual courtesies.

My daughter, Ronny, told me that she had, recently, attended a Christmas play at the Riverside Church. She shared that it was well done and, in the course of conversation, said, “Daddy, I really like Rita.”

I told Mrs. Perrilloux what Ronny had said and she responded, “Ronny is really sweet.” I think I said something to the effect that she is like her sweet-spirited daddy. “No,” she replied. “Ronny is sweet to everybody; you are picky.” In other words, she was telling me that I pick the people I am nice to. I really didn’t like that comment, but after leaving the post office, I realized that she was being used by God to send me a message.

Monday morning, at a men’s meeting at Sno’s Restaurant in Gonzales, I shared that encounter with the group. I told them that God will always give you what you need when you need it.

Looking back now, I’m grateful that I met Rita that day in the post office. Did I appreciate her remarks at the time? No, but I was later reminded that the truth will set people free.

Will I change my feelings toward people now that God sent me the message? It will be entirely up to me. I hope that I will take the message seriously and ask the Holy Spirit to continue to change me. Sometimes when God sends you a sharp message through someone else, the initial sting hurts.

I’m reminded that the Bible says, “Iron sharpens iron.” I needed that rebuke by God, through Rita, to sharpen my spiritual walk. I pray that I will never forget the message.

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call (985) 652-8477, or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.