RIDING WITH MONTONI

This weekend (3-5 April), I am in Asheville, NC for drill weekend with the NC Army National Guard. This evening, I was wasting time before coming back to my hotel room. As I was walking out of Books-A-Million, a tall black man approached me. His name was Montoni. He asked me for money. People do that so much in Asheville that it can be really difficult to tell if their for real or not. He told me he lost his job as a construction worker and needed money to pay for a room he was staying at in some motel. He told me about his wife, 14 year old and 18 month old children. The whole time he was telling me all of this he used PLENTY of expletives. While I had no idea if he was being honest or not and I had no money on me, I did have my car so I gave him a ride to a gas station ( he said to ask a friend for money).

As we were riding, Montoni did something interesting. I had my new Chris White cd in the player in my car. Montoni heard Chris singing a song called "HIS NAME IS JESUS". As soon as he realized what the lyrics were saying he said, "Are you a Christian?". Upon me telling him that I was indeed a follower of Christ, a transformation took place. The cursing immediately stopped and for the rest of the ride Montoni was telling me how good God was. Now, I still have no clue how truthful Montoni was being, but his "transformation" reminded me of a lot of people I know.

How many people do you know that claim to be Christians, and live however they want to? These are the people who, like Montoni, use any language they want. These are the people who do what they want, when they want and how they want. And these are the people who, when they hear someone is a Christian, are "transformed".

If my story about Montoni describes you, STOP BEING A HYPOCRITE!!!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

ROMANS 12:1&2

This is the transformation Jesus desires for His true followers. He wants us to live our lives in such a way that people know by our speech and our actions that we follow Him. Montoni heard me talk (and Chris White singing on the radio), I gave him a ride and I hope by him riding with me he felt Christ call him to a relationship with Himself.