In 2012, my wife and I made the move from California to Texas. We hired a contractor to build our new home—a home we ended up selling just two years later, as God had other plans for us. Among the subcontractors working on the house was a man named Bill. Since our main contractor was also named Bill, this particular Bill became known as “Tile Bill.”
Tile Bill had lived a challenging life. He was a chain smoker, and it was clear he had seen his share of hard times. On the surface, we had little in common. However, his frequent smoke breaks provided opportunities for conversation, and we developed an unlikely friendship. Over time, he began to share some of his heart-breaking stories with me, including the tragic heroin overdose death of his wife.
Recently, while preparing for a small group Bible study, I was reading Luke 5. The future disciples—Peter, James, and John—had just returned from an unsuccessful night of fishing. They were undoubtedly discouraged. After teaching the crowds from their boat, Jesus told them, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” This simple instruction did a few key things:
Reflecting on this passage, more than four years after meeting Tile Bill, I was reminded of the man who worked on my house. I realized that Jesus was calling me to do something similar. Tile Bill’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to my background in law enforcement. Jesus redirected my attention to his needs. God was asking me to go deep, into an area that felt uncomfortable. I had the opportunity to share my faith with a man God had placed in my path, just as Jesus told Peter, James, and John that they would become fishers of men.
Shortly after our house was completed, and my first book, The Spirit behind Badge 145, had been published, Tile Bill came back to finish some minor repairs. When he was done, I gave him a copy of my book, which is filled with stories about cops and robbers, all with the purpose of sharing the gospel. He accepted it with gratitude.
Nearly a year later, I had a chance encounter with the woman he was dating. During our conversation, she became teary-eyed. She shared that Tile Bill had passed away from cancer about two months prior. While on his deathbed, he had given her my book and asked her to read it.
I won’t know the full impact of this encounter until I stand before God at the Bema Seat. However, I do know this: God’s instruction seemed to conflict with my professional expertise. He redirected my attention to a man in need of a Savior. I needed to go deep, stepping outside my comfort zone to share my faith with Tile Bill. Just as the future disciples hauled in a net full of fish when they obeyed Christ, I hope and pray that Tile Bill responded to God’s invitation to join him in eternity, and that one day I will hear his story of salvation.
– Jim