He knows how to love and how to be loved

Have you ever experienced meeting someone and felt as though you’ve come across a dear friend upon your very first introduction? That’s how it was with Nick. Touring the Taft prison with our Wheels for the World Conference in September of 2006, Nick was at the prison as well, speaking to the inmates. We all were in the dining hall, having lunch. Nick is hard to miss in a crowd, especially when he stands on a table. Born without arms or legs, it’s a very different sight than any of us are accustomed to seeing. But that’s not even what drew me to him, it was his warm smile and his penetrating eyes. He looks deep within. It doesn’t take Nick long to get past an introduction. He’s spent his life avoiding the trivial, getting to the important. I guess when you are born with such an obstacle to overcome, you don’t waste time trying to become proficient at things that in the long run, really don’t matter.

The next day, when he was sitting by the pool, we ended up having lunch together. Surrounded by large tables full of people, we had a good long time for discussion without interruption. It was one of those kinds of conversations that goes beyond the normal every day chit chat that most people are so good at. We got right to the heart of the matter, talking about our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. During our conversation, I had many spine tingling moments, the kind when you recognize that this is not just a conversation, it is more like a message, a message brought through a man but coming from God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. There were just too many moments of confirmation, too many words that were used which God had already whispered into my heart and right here in front of me was the smallest man I have ever met, delivering one of the largest messages I’ve ever received.

Later, as I thought about our conversation, as I thought about Nick’s life, I realized that every single part of Nick’s physical body, he is putting to use. He doesn’t have the luxury of taping his fingers or swinging his legs off the edge of a chair when he’s bored. What little he has, he uses to maximum capacity. Many of the tasks he must do take every ounce of focus and concentration. Flipping a light switch takes time and effort and the use of a golf club, not just tapping it once but possibly several times until it’s hit properly and the light goes on.

What if every one of us had to live our lives that way? What if in everything the Lord gave us to do, we focused our attention and gave it our best efforts? What if we utilized everything we were given? What if when we are walking through this life, we looked into the eyes of those we pass by, rather than ignoring them because we are too busy to stop and care. What if when we spoke, we did it to get to the heart of the matter, rather than dancing around the cosmetic?

When Nick shared his testimony later that night, he told us that at one point in his life, he feared not being able to show a wife his love, he wouldn’t be able to hold her hand. How would he hug his own children? But then the Lord told him that even though he wouldn’t be able to hold their hands, he would always hold their hearts.

The Lord then gave me a word for Nick, actually, it was more like an understanding and I had to put it into words. At the end of the evening, I shared it with him:

More abundant is the life of a man who has no arms and legs yet chooses to love the Lord with his whole heart than a man who has both limbs and heart yet refuses to love God with either.

Nick has gone into third world countries where people with disabilities are still thought of as cursed and he’s changing the tide with his testimony. This young man, who stands only 3 feet, 3 inches tall may be the one God uses to change that kind of thinking throughout the entire world. He goes into the crowds and asks to be hugged, no one can resist. He says the words, “I love you” and he means it.

I don’t think this young man will ever have to worry about not being able to show his love, his heart is huge.

One of the things I have learned over the last three years, is that Nick Vujicic knows how to show love more deeply through his words, through his eyes, even through his willingness to be loved than we who were given arms and legs because we are the ones who have forgotten how to best use them.

For more information about Nick and his ministry, Life Without Limbs visit: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org