Jeremiah 17:10 KJV I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to
give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings.
The first time I met Mr. Costello it was the summer of 1985. My husband had
died in a construction accident the year before and left me with four
children
to feed and care for. We lived in a two story house that sat directly across
the street from the entrance to the cancer wing of the hospital. We lived
on the bottom floor and rented the upstairs rooms to patients who came to
receive treatment at the cancer center.
I was preparing dinner for the children and the four renters who lived
upstairs when I heard the doorbell ring. As I opened the door I saw this
very short
old man standing there.
"Good afternoon Ma'am," he said. I couldn't tell if he was smiling or not.
His face looked lopsided because it was swollen and red. He said, "I have
been
looking for a place to stay the night till my bus leaves first thing
tomorrow morning. Would you have room for me? I wouldn't mind just sleeping
on this
rocking chair here on the porch. I live on the coast and am just here for
today getting treatment for my skin cancer, I won't be any bother to you."
As I stood looking at this little stooped over shriveled old man wondering
what to say because all my rooms were full, my heart went out to him.
"I have been looking for the last three hours," he said, "I guess it's my
face, I know how terrible it looks."
I said, "If you can wait awhile, after dinner I'll put up a cot in the
children's room for you."
He let out a sigh of relief and as he thanked me he said, "I'll just sit out
here on the porch for now then."
I left him on the porch and went back to preparing dinner. When it was ready
I invited him to eat with us but he just held up a wrinkled brown bag and
said,
"I've got plenty here I brought with me."
After cleaning up from dinner and sending the kids off to do their homework
I went out to the porch to talk with Mr. Costello. It was then I learned
what
a big heart resided in that tiny body. He said he had been a fisherman all
his life, he said it supported him, his daughter, her five children and her
husband who was disabled from a back injury he sustained at the local
factory which had left him hopelessly crippled. While telling me this, the
smile
(I think it was a smile) never left his face. He told me how richly he had
been blessed all his life and how grateful he was there was no pain with the
skin cancer.
He said "I have gotten used to people staring at me and avoiding being
around me." I apologized for not being able to give him a room for the night
but
he just shrugged it off and said, "The cot will be fine and the children
will keep me company, they don't seem to mind how my face looks, the
innocence
of children don't look at the outside of people, they are like God they see
what is on the inside of a person."
The renters came out to the porch for their usual gathering after dinner and
slowly warmed up to Mr. Costello after all they were all in the same
condition,
suffering from cancer and of course their treatments usually left them
feeling sick. When they asked Mr. Costello about his treatments and why he
did not
suffer or have pain he proceeded to give a very moving testimony of how he
had come to know Jesus twenty years ago and since that time how Jesus had
provided
for him and his family.
Twenty years ago he said, "While out fishing I was trying to bring in the
net which was quite heavy with fish and I tripped on some rope lying on the
deck
and fell overboard. Being a small man even back then and not a very good
swimmer I figured when I couldn't reach anything on the boat to pull myself
up
that since there was no one around to help me I was a goner. I called out to
God to save me."
He stopped talking for a minute until Mr. Johnson one of the renters asked
him, "What happened then?"
"The side of the boat started tipping towards me and I felt myself being
lifted up till I could reach the side of the boat. I knew without a doubt
that
it was the hand of God that had saved me and I have given my life to him
ever since. Though I have suffered many trials since that day I have learned
to
be content in all circumstances since I have also received many blessings.
God has always provided all of my needs and I have learned there is a
blessing
in every trial. We just have to learn how to endure through the trials and
give thanks to God for everything that happens to us in this life for I have
learned that the only thing we can take with us into the next life is the
love we share and give to others God puts in our path as we make our way
thru
our trials."
Mr. Johnson's wife Nellie spoke up and asked,"Mr. Costello, why do you think
God allows terrible things like cancer to ravage our bodies and cause us
such
pain?"
"Ms. Nellie," he said, "every farmer knows that it is in the valley that
things grow the best and it is on the mountain top that things do not grow
well.
If all our experiences in life were mountain top experiences we would never
grow and learn the lessons in life we need to know. Because of man's pride
and arrogance there are many who will not come to God unless he is brought
to his knees and to the understanding that God is the only one who can save
him."
"Thank you, sir." said Nellie. "Now if you don't mind my asking, why do you
think God put someone with such a big heart like yourself in such a small
body?"
Mr. Costello laughed lightly and said, "Do you know the children's story of
the ugly duckling? I believe God knew I wouldn't mind starting off in life,
in fact needed to start off my life in this small body to become what I
shall be when He takes me home."
Now whenever I see a beautiful swan I think of Mr. Costello and how tall and
beautiful he must look as he stands around the throne of God. I believe Mr.
Costello planted many seeds in his life and there were many souls who came
to know Jesus because of his testimony.
Bob Goulding C December 2007
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