Article September 28, 1987 Issue

Never underestimate the power of Truth

Prayer and persistence go hand in hand. They help us see past the short run to the triumph of Truth.

Arline Walker Evans

A friend and I were shopping in some attractive shops in a southern city of the United States. As we emerged from one shop into an open area, we saw a woman surrounded by mounds of lovely, delicate branches laden with white berries. She was intent on weaving them into holiday decorations. Wearing a bright red blouse and deep blue skirt, she was, indeed, a picture, and so my friend spontaneously called out to her, "What a lovely picture! You look perfectly beautiful!" Slowly, the woman raised her head and in astonishment replied, "No one has ever called me beautiful before!" My friend then added, "I wish I had my paints with me. I would paint your portrait."

On either side of the area, streets were humming with holiday traffic, and people were bustling down the sidewalks. Despite the bustle, however, my friend's remarks had been overheard. Right behind me I heard a man's voice, calling out strongly to the woman, "Since we cannot paint a portrait of you, may I sing a tribute to you?" I looked and saw not a young, strolling guitar player but a fine-looking gentleman. He promptly opened his mouth and gloriously sang his tribute to the lady who, no longer weaving, sat in quiet amazement.

As the song was sung, I walked a few feet away, praying earnestly to quiet my emotions and listen to what God was saying. You see, the people involved in this scene were of different races, and this experience took place in a city that had once been one of the largest slave-trade ports in the nation.

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