I believe we can all look back on our lives and say that we have had God in His great mercy bring to us one, such as described below in this little story. This is copied from a forum post I wrote a few days after "the Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin was taken from us during a filming expedition.
Today I want to honor the spirit in Steve Irwin AKA "the Crocodile Hunter."
The first time I witnessed Steve's extravagant enthusiasm I thought, "who is this clown." After viewing him a number of times, I realized that Steve's enthusiasm was genuine and I came to where I loved watching him. Steve Irwin's over the top personality often reminded me of another fellow that was instrumental in my coming to know Jesus.
This fellow's name was Leon and he was a kind of nerdy television repair man. The Jesus movement of the early 70's was in full swing and God was saving multitudes of youngsters that had earlier been swept up in the promiscuous life style of the drug laden "Age of Aquarius."
Leon had befriended me at my first ever (and I thought my last) Bible study. I was under terrible conviction by the Holy Spirit and I was more than troubled. At night, wanting to be alone, I would miserably sit on the front porch of the commune I lived in and try to drink or smoke (dope) that conviction away. I would eventually get the job done, but as drinking and smoking always does I would get the munchies. So I would meander down to the all night cafe for a burger where it seemed I would always run into this strange exuberant Christian guy shouting, "Praise the Lord, Jack!!!"
Of course Leon would not allow me to dine alone and although uninvited, he would gleefully join me and tell me one Gospel truth after another while I tried to eat. Like Steve, because words weren't enough Leon also talked with his hands ....... and the thing that drove me nuts especially when I was stoned, was that Leon was missing half his right index finger. For me his stub just added to the absurdity of scene where this nerdy bespectacled lay preacher, acting like like some long lost brother, was sharing Old Testament stories with me; a stoned out, long haired hippie.
For weeks it seemed no matter where I went, I could not escape God nor His servant Leon. I would run into this guy everywhere and of course he had to tell me some new story about his buddy, Jesus. It was as though God had assigned to me my own "hound from heaven" and I could never escape.
Eventually I gave up running and Leon dragged me back to that Bible study where I got saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. This television repairman with his customary white dress shirt adorned with a plastic pocket protector and New Testament would roam the streets of this little college town for more than a half decade, saving multitudes of kids that were much younger and much more hip than himself.
Let me close with my favorite Leon story and that which sold me on his honesty of character. Within a conversation, I once asked Leon if he ever knowingly sinned. He hem-hawed around a bit and with redness of face he finally admitted to me a short coming that beset him on occasion. Leon reluctantly shared that every once in a while he would go down to the lake, rent a boat and row out to the middle away from all humanity. There he would light up a big cigar, sit quietly and smoke the whole thing.
So in tribute to Steve Irwin , I say thanks "Crocodile Hunter" for always reminding me of another hunter that stalked and captured a great many for the Father's Kingdom. Leon like Steve has passed on and I sure will miss the wonderful connection I found with these two hunters.
Jack
We cannot contain the overflowing cup of His love thus we share with you these messages of the Life of our Lord as lived out in His saints.
