I was slightly drunk and walking back to my hotel with a Marine buddy of mine and two other people from my church back in Vista, CA who happened to be there celebrating their marriage. I was "pretending" to be slightly belligerent and was dragging my heals on going back to my room. My buddy was trying to make sure I was going to be safe. Right before I crossed the street to enter the hotel, a prostitute approached me with a wide, beaming smile and words of exclamation crossing her lips. She shouted, "I remember you!" then THREW her arms wide and rushed me to embrace me in an enormous hug.In my happy drunkenness, I shouted out to her on the street and yelled, "GOD BLESS YOU!" It was one of the most amazing hugs I have ever experienced in my life. It is the story of how I got to that hug that matters most, though. I am still learning from it...
I considered it slightly scandalous to have at least two dozen young women prowling around across the street to ensnare foolish men. The girls were easy to spot: They all wore crystal clear, 3-inch stilettos and I decided to try my hand at sharing the good news with them. No, I wasn't heading out to boast about saving hundreds of dollars on my auto insurance by switching over to Geico. I also wasn't heading out to brag about how smart I was simply because I had slept at a Holiday Inn Express!
I was motivated to offer them a semblance of goodness to their lives outside of how they were living. I wanted to let them know about Christ's perfect love that could take them out of a life such as prostitution. Regardless of my intention to do good, my heart was woefully unprepared and unlearned in how to do so. I was approached by a number of the ladies (the only type of woman I don't have to chase after, apparently) and spoke with them out of a sense of sadness for where they were at. Of course, this didn't go over well for them. Lesson: Christ does not save us by feeling sorry for us but by loving us.
One of the ladies of the night did give me an amazing excuse for the way she lived, though. It was an Asian woman who spoke some broken English and she stated to me that prostitution was the earliest form of religious exercise. I don't if she meant "exercise" literally. She continued on to say, "Is it any coincidence that 'whore' sounds like 'holy'?" (To get a better appreciation of how she said "whore" and "holy" try rolling your h's in the back of your throat and holding that guttural sound for a few moments before finishing the word).
I went three nights in a row and all the while I had my fellow Marines hooting and hollering at me from the balconies of the hotel. Even when I explained my actions, I don't think they understood why I would be down there just trying to talk with prostitutes. Still, once they got done with the cat-calling, they were intrigued to say the least. The second to last night, I did get to talk with a lovely young girl. I struck up as normal a conversation as possible with her as she was propositioning me to have a threesome with her partner. Her partner was disgusted when I told her that instead of accepting their offer, I had an offer of my own and that it was eternal life with a clear conscience and perfect love forever; all at no charge! Why are people disgusted by that? It must be the messengers...
Anyway, I was able to talk with the girl who stayed behind, but only for a few moments. It was enough time to find out that she was only going to be on the island for a couple more days and would soon be flying out to Las Vegas to make her living. I forget exactly what that living was but it wasn't prostitution this time. She told me a couple other things that I have regrettably forgotten now, as well. Still, I was able to connect with her and give her the good news of salvation and eternal life. I think she was happy just to have a conversation with a guy who didn't want her for sex. At this point, her partner came in and forcibly extracted her from the conversation. I think now that if I have the opportunity to speak with prostitutes again I will pay them for their time.
That leads to the next night and her remembrance of me. She was my bright ray of hope. That's why the hug was so amazing. Since then, I've had to question my approach to people and how I love them. I have learned that hope and love are a motivation much more worthy and lasting than fear and sorrow. It proved to me that Christ made Himself sin for us and took our death upon Himself simply so that He could hold us in His great embrace! He saved me when I was far more wicked than her. Much better than that; He never removed His gaze from me and will never forget my name or blot me out of His book of life. I will be given the most loving and warm embrace; the love of which will last forever. He smile will be upon me with the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
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