The Difference Between Me And Mattress Mack

Most of you don't know Nick. He's one of my favorite WCS students, and his mom, who was in charge of our volleyball program in the past, is one of my favorite coaches. I haven't seen Nick in awhile- the last time, I believe, was on television. You see, Nick was a terrific basketball player, playing for two major colleges. He's my Facebook friend, like about 4500 Houstonians and non-Houstonians. I doubt there are many in the US who are unaware of Hurricane Harvey and its impact on Texas, particularly Houston, these past five days. My estimate is that 90% of my Facebook feed is Harvey related. There are personal testimonies, horror stories, pleas for prayers, unreal neighborhood video scenes, heroic rescue efforts.... and the list goes on. In the midst of all the flow of gut wrenching information, Nick posted my favorite social media quote of the week. It simply read:
I don't care what anyone says- Mattress Mack is the realest dude in Houston.
If you don't know who Mattress Mack is, you aren't from Houston. There are famous folks who call Houston home: George and Barbara Bush, Beyonce', J.J. Watt, James Harden, etc. But the best known philanthropist in my mind is Jim McIngvale, aka, Mattress Mack. In the almost twenty years I've lived in Houston, Mack has donated to countless charities and worthy causes. True to form, as Harvey hit, Mack opened both Houston locations of his Gallery Furniture Stores to anyone who needed shelter and also used their kitchens to feed the evacuees. I saw it all on one of the local stations. As Mack was extending the invitation to those in desperate need, he did something else I thought was astonishing. He gave out his cell phone number... TWICE! On the air! Let me put this in personal perspective. When I returned from my twenty-nine day mission to Vietnam, I had NO missed call or voice mails and NO texts.  Why? Because I don't give out my phone number. And yet, there was arguably one of the most famous residents of this huge city giving his out and asking strangers to call. I'm not sure if that is what Nick was referencing. But I have to give him a big  AMEN for his sentiments. 

Even more importantly than Mack's generous offer, our Father implores us to call on Him. There is a guarantee He will hear us if we pray in good faith. In Psalms 145 and verse 18, we hear this promise:

The Lord is near to all who call on him,to all who call on him in truth.
What a blessing! I met Mack once- he spoke at our graduation the night after his main store burned down but I know he would have no idea who I am. Our Father knows exactly who I am and amazingly, still loves me. He's never too busy to listen and He never sleeps. My pleas don't go to voicemail and there is no chance His battery is dead. He hears me AND He wants me to cry out to Him on all occasions, not just during calamities. Do you know why I give out my cell number so sparingly? It's because I hate talking on the phone. Praise the Lord He doesn't feel that way about talking to me.

Applicable quote of the day:
The practice of charity will bind us - will bind all men in one great brotherhood. 
Conrad Hilton

To read my blog about the night Mattress Mack gave our commencement address, copy and paste the link below:
http://stevehawley.blogspot.com/2009/05/speech.html

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com