Has God ever warned you of danger? Have you seen an ugly situation turned around or a suicide prevented? I love talking to older people and hearing their stories. I’ve shared a few stories from my grandmother’s life in past posts, including Grammy’s First Trip To Heaven, Grammy’s Second Trip To Heaven, and Supernatural Multiplication Of Ham. Here are more inspiring testimonies from Grammy. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them!

Watch Out For That Gun!

My Grammy worked for many years at a Rescue Mission for the homeless. Many of the residents loved her for her gentleness and kindness, calling her “mom.” She was often around dangerous people! Some of them were felons or mentally unstable, and the mission often had to call the police. While I was talking with her recently, I asked if she had any stories of escaping danger that she would like to share.

She said, “Oh, God has protected me many times. Once, I was walking on the street outside of the Mission, and the Holy Spirit told me to look up. I saw a rifle pointing at me from a third-story window. I walked very quickly and went inside before he could aim and shoot.”

Then she shared the story of the big knife. More than a story of God’s protection, this was an encouraging testimony of the impact a few kind words may have on someone.

The Big Knife

Grammy was a receptionist at the Mission. When people came to apply as new residents, she was the first person they went to. She took their names and information, then told them about the services that were available to them. As she took their information, Grammy often spoke to the applicants about what the Lord could do in their lives.

One day, as she was introducing an applicant to the organization, she said, “You know, we are a Christian mission, and I hope that while you are here, you will take advantage of the opportunity to read the Bible and see what God might have for your life.” He immediately pulled out a big knife!

Grammy’s heart skipped a beat! She knew that here, this was no joke. They had encountered murderers and rapists passing through many times before. She quietly asked the Holy Spirit what to do and felt she needed to stay calm. So she asked him, “What do you have that knife for?”

 The man replied, “I was planning to kill myself with this knife, but I just decided not to. Nobody ever showed they cared about me before, but you just did.” Grammy asked for the knife, and he gave it to her. She realized she’d just rescued a man from suicide!

The Power Of A Few Kind Words

Grammy hadn’t said much, but she showed concern for the man’s well-being. She mentioned God having a plan for his life. Little did she know that she might be saving his life by preventing suicide as she spoke those few words.

Sometimes, we see how rough a person appears but don’t realize the traumas and difficulties they’ve faced. God sees their pain and has compassion on them. I have met children who had heartbreaking stories of abuse and neglect, but they were rescued. What about the people who never were rescued and are still struggling to deal with past experiences? So many people have experienced very little kindness in life.

Sometimes, we have no idea a simple display of love or a few kind words can influence a person. With the Holy Spirit’s anointing, a few words can change the course of a person’s life forever. Life and death really are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) Sometimes, we focus on how someone has hurt or wronged us. Yet the indwelling Holy Spirit is thinking about that person’s need and how we can meet it.

How many people have been saved from suicide by a few kind words? Grammy’s experience reminded me of the story of Don Richie, an Australian man who officially saved at least 160 people from committing suicide. His family believes the true number was closer to 500. Don smiled at people who looked distressed and asked if he could help them. If you have never heard about Don before, you can listen to his story in the first video below. In the second video, you can see Don’s house and the place where he convinced so many people not to jump to their deaths.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to become more aware of the needs of people around us, and to see how we can meet them.