Your Husband's Pants

While attending college for the ministry I had an experience that illustrates the truth of this inspired quote: “Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.  He knows us all by name.  He knows the very house in which we live, the name of each occupant.  He has at times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in a certain city, to such and such a house to find one of His lost sheep.” -- DA, p. 479.

I was in my third year of classes at Southern Missionary College (now called Southern University of SDAs).  I worked as a literature evangelist while going to school and I really enjoyed meeting the people, and getting Bible studies started.  But because I didn’t put in enough hours, I never was given an area to place sample books with cards in them for people to request the books.  I had to do all my sales “cold turkey” as they called it -- picking a neighborhood and knocking on doors.

One day the publishing leader “threw me a bone” and gave me a lead card.  I actually had someone to go to who really wanted to see the books!  I was on my way to Hixson, Tennessee, where the person lived, when my car ran out of gas.  Running out of gas was not very unusual for me as a part-time Colporteur.  Right across the street from where my car had stopped was a little apartment building with about six apartments in it.  I prayed, “Dear Lord, help me to sell a few paperback Steps to Christ to make a few dollars. There’s a gas station down the road where I could get some gas so I could get to my lead.”  Little did I know what the Lord had in store, or that it was in His plan for me to run out of gas right there!

I walked across the street and knocked on the very first door I came to.  In a few minutes a middle-aged lady came to the door.  I told her what I was doing, and showed her the Steps to Christ book.  She said that she was just going to call a man about a Bible book she wanted to get.   She showed me the name of the person she was about to call.  And get this!  In her hand was a card with my name and telephone number written on it!  I easily recognized my last name, “Cirigliano.”  There are not too many Ciriglianos in Tennessee!  I nearly fainted! 

I said, “Lady, that’s me!  That’s my name on that card.  It was me you were just going to call.  I just ran out of gas in front of your house!”

“This is you?” she said in a surprised voice.

I showed her my driver’s license to assure her it was true.

She said, “Did you sell a book called Desire of Ages to my friend Jessie White who works with me at Olin Mills Photography Studio?”

I thought for a moment and said, “Yes ii did, a few days ago.”

She said, “Jessie brought the book into work today, and she told me how good it was.  I read some of it and liked it so much that I wanted one for myself.  She gave me your name and phone number, and I was just going to call you when you knocked on my door!  I can’t believe that you ran out of gas right in front of my house!”

With great excitement on both of our parts, she invited me in to show her the books I sold.  She could only afford the Desire of Ages, which was the one she really wanted anyway.  Now, I must interject that as a student LE, they told me never to leave a large book without getting a deposit.  If I did, and the person never sent a payment, then I would be charged.  I couldn’t afford that, and
didn’t want to violate the policy under which I agreed to work.  The book sold at that time for $39.95.  I told her that the required down payment was $8.

Her face saddened.  She said, “I don’t have any money.”  Just then, as clear as could be a voice inside my head said, “Tell her to look in her husband’s pants!”  I kid you not!  I was flustered for a few seconds as I hesitated to say anything about her husband’s pants! The impression came again.  Finally I said to her, “Have you thought about looking in your husband’s pants?  He might have left some money in the pockets.”

“That’s an idea!” she said as she walked off to the bedroom.  A few seconds later I heard her exclaim, “Praise the Lord! I found a $10 bill in my husband’s pants!”

I too exclaimed, “Praise the Lord!”  I think I was more surprised than she was.  But that’s not the end of this amazing experience.

After she gave me the deposit and I gave her the book, she said, “By the way, my husband is an atheist.  If he knew I was buying this book, he’d be furious!  He’d also throw you out if he were here.” Of course, I was glad he wasn’t home that day!  I left her house after a short prayer, and I was so thrilled I could have driven home without the car!  I put some gas in my car and headed to Hixson with a smile from ear to ear, and tears of joy rolling down my face
because the Lord had especially helped me.  He really cared about ME, and He was with me.  He always is when we put our lives in His care.

A few weeks later, I was back in the same neighborhood, and I thought to myself, “I’ve got to go back to that house and see that lady again.”  When I got there, I walked hurriedly to her door, and knocked.  And to my surprise and chagrin, her husband answered!

“What do you want?” he growled.

I stammered, “I’m with Home Health Education Service,” trying to go through my little spiel.

“What are you selling?”  he rudely interrupted.

“I have some books ...”

“What kind of books?”  he snapped back.

“I have health books and Bible books and ...”

“We don’t need any books today, and besides, I’m very busy!” he angrily exclaimed.

Just then a voice came from behind the door. “Tony, is that you?” The voice was from the nice lady I sold the book to.  Was I glad to hear her voice!

“Are you the guy who ran out of gas and stopped at my apartment just when my wife was about to call you?” the husband questioned.

“Yes sir, I am,” I sheepishly said, not sure how he would react.

“Well, then, come right in,” he said to my surprise, and his whole attitude changed.  I showed them both the rest of the books in the Conflict of the Ages Series, (Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, The Great Controversy, and Acts of the Apostles).  Believe it or not this atheist bought the rest of the books of the set for his wife!  I knew then that the Lord let all this happen to show that
unbeliever that there was a God in heaven.  I left that house that day thrilled that once again, the wonderful Lord had let me be a part of His plan to save souls! He truly will use you, too! You’re not alone in the work of soul winning!

That experience has inspired me on through the years.  I’ve had many other experiences, and have been blessed to be able to baptize hundreds of people, but no experience so affected me as that one did!  I never saw those two people again because they moved away.  But by faith I believe I will see that husband and wife one day in the earth made new, and we’ll talk about the way the Lord cared for our souls!