How do you make decisions about direction? Do you know your reality isn't always necessarily what you think or even see it is?

A well dressed man, attache case in hand constantly. in motion...always on his way to somewhere. A big deal just ahead.

He seems...confident. Has it together. Knows his next play. He'll still need an assist, it appears, but he is undaunted. He'll forge ahead.

Every day he's closer to that deal. He feels it. Senses it. Knows it for a certainty. Can he have any doubts whatsoever?

He is honest with all he speaks with. But they didn't know his secret. He doesn't even realize it...

He is mad.

There was a man known as Tony H. A hitchhiker. Well dressed, with briefcase in hand desperate to catch a ride to the city for his work mission. Anyone stopping to aid him because of his appearance, would shortly become aware he hadn't the capacity for rational thoughts. How he could be out freely walking around? How is it he hasn't seen there is no destination waiting for him to appear, to obtain, to proceed to? He was a chatterbox of nervous energy that makes one unsettled in proximity.

He really needed a guardian. Someone to take conservativeship of his affairs. He had mental problems. But his brother leaves him be, to roam the roads...by himself...hitchhiking his way back and forth surprising otherwise drivers who felt a bit of altruism only to find...in listening for more than a few minutes of his ranting... it's a mistake they'll not soon make again.

There's never a guarantee of coming back from this state. And passing on, that's a certainty.

But one did it. And they thought he wasn't in his right mind either.

The world is still the same today, however...and there's a greater chance for it. There's plenty of oddness around.

My dad was one of those guys that saw another in need, and he picked up Tony .. often. Driving him on his way into work , dropping him off at random destinations...when Tony was on the thumb... and even on the occasional way back home, from some random point....

One day .it occurred to dad to bring him home ..and talk to him about Jesus. It was his witness that kept Tony coming round a few times. And off the road for a bit. I know, because I was there. I'd picked him up once or twice myself, trying to honor my father's care and compassion on another lost human being.

Some things must be done ..and done right.

Are we humble?

Are we contrite?

I couldn't get through to him. I couldn't help him.
I couldn't get him to settle his manic state and later, passed by him on the road to leave him in his state.

But my dad ..persisted. One day I came over and he told me this fascinating thing that happened. He'd brought Tony over to the house and in the course of conversation with him, my dad had a rare revelation happen and he was joyfully want to tell me about it.

My parents had a wall hanging with Jesus on it, like a rug I think. Dad had said something to the effect of pointing to the wall hanging to impress Tony about Jesus' reality.

Dad said sometime like. " see him there Tony?" To which Tony replied, "he's not on the wall, he's standing right beside you!"

It caught dad off guard then it swelled in his heart that Tony actually was saying what was real. He was seeing Jesus standing by dad.

Would that we all could see, the invisible. Dad never missed a chance to talk to anyone about God. Many of you know this to be true. Pockets filled with tracts, ready ears to listen, huge heart to love, and arms to hold you close when you needed holding.

Tony wasn't as crazy as we think actually, like when we're not "seeing things clearly", who's crazy then? . I read once we should practice the presence of the Lord .. dad would have said afterwards that that was crazy... Jesus is always here and present.

A gift of sight, from Tony H. well, insight anyways...Only Jesus can make blind eyes see, deaf ears hears, and make us a new person...born again of the Spirit.

But you already know this, did I just pull a "Tony" on you? 😊🙏 God bless and keep you.

A memory of Tony H.