[stylist] No greater love

[RJ Sandefur]

What do you think about this story?
"No greater love."

By RJ Sandefur

Chapter1 New beginning

John Stone sat at his computer thinking of his friend Ashley Doil. Ashley had been there for him during his girlfriend Stephanie and his break up.  They, Ashley and John, had been talking with one another over Skype for several months. On this particular day, little did they know their friendship would be tested. John loved Ashley or so he thought. He was insecure and even though he tried hiding it, Ashley could see right through that rough persona that he tried to portray. John thought back to the time he and Ashley had met in person for the first time.

###u Flashback

                John sat in the restaurant when in the door came a tall, slender, 28 year old white girl with a muscular build. She looked like a professional wrestler. She walked over to the table where John was sitting and sat down. "Hay, you must be John!" Ashley said in a jovial tone.

John had to ask, "Ashley, are you or were you ever a professional wrestler?"

Ashley cracked up laughing. "No I'm not. I'm just athletic that's all." John gazed into her sparkling blue eyes which made him think of the sun rising in the east.  However, there was something about Ashley's eyes that shook him to the core of his being. He felt as if Ashley was not only looking into his eyes, but that she was looking into his heart and even deeper into his soul.

John lusted after Ashley, and Ashley knew it. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small Bible. "Ashley, I'm an atheist. I don't go for that God and Jesus stuff," John said matter of factly. 

"How can you love some guy who died 2000 years ago? When will you realize that I'm the one for you and not this Jesus?" John said with desperation in his voice.

"John, would you be willing to lay down your life for me?" Ashley said seriously.

"Of course I would, Ashley, you know I love you." Ashley knew John's history. He'd go on line, find some random girl, and try courting her and when she said that she wasn't interested; John would continually pursue the girl to the point of stocking her. 

Ashley looked at John with hurt in her eyes. "John, we're only going to be friends. Nothing more." At this John got up, and stormed out of the building leaving Ashley alone.

 

### End flashback

 

                "Hi John," Ashley said softly after answering her Skype on the second ring.

                "Hi Ashley. I. Well. I'm going to need a heart transplant, Ashley," John said through his tears.

 "Oh John. John. I'll always be here for you and you know that," Ashley said softly. 

"Ashley, please don't take this the wrong way. I know we're just friends. I love you, Ashley," John said as more tears gushed from his eyes. However, Ashley knew John meant more than friendship when he told her he loved her. 

"John, quit trying to say you only love me as a friend because we both know that is not true!" Ashley was upset with him and he knew it. She continued in a firm tone of voice. "John, you think I'm going to come down to Florida and fly you away to paradise.  You don't know what love means." Ashley picked up the Bible and after finding her place, she began to read. 1 Corinthians 13

 

4 ¶Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

Ashley could see this was upsetting her friend. "John, you'll be alright." Ashley said calmly walking over to the book case and replacing the bible upon it. 

John said crying, "Ashley, I need you to understand that I love you and I want to be with you!" 

Ashley got up from her chair and retrieved her King James Bible from the bookcase and walked over to the mirror. She looked into the mirror and she could see tears like little raindrops falling onto the Bible. She walked into the bathroom carrying the Bible and shut the door. She began thumbing through the Bible and when she had found the passage she wanted, she walked out of the bathroom and over to her computer chair. 

John saw Ashley with the Bible on his web cam and said, "Ashley, you believe that book?" John said mocking her. 

Ashley smiled as she said with resolve, "Yes, I believe this Bible is God's word." 

"What has that Bible done for you? What has God and Jesus ever done for you?" John asked, his voiced tinged with a bitter edge.

Ashley replied, "John, when I was eighteen, I ran away from an abusive home, and I lived on the streets as a prostitute. I was a lot like you, John, my view of love was centered around my body and giving my body to my clients or what I thought were clients. My pimp would beat me if I didn't bring any money to him. Well one day when I was twenty years old, I was standing on the corner waiting for my pimp to pick me up. While I was waiting I saw this blind guy walking across the street. He was carrying a briefcase. He dropped it, and some Bibles fell out. I thought, 'You religious nut.' John, people had told me about Jesus before but they never got to me but I felt something about this blind guy. Standing there with no one to help, and some of the Bibles were in the street, so I bent down and picked one of them up." 

John sat there listening with his mouth agape. 

Ashley continued. "The guy started telling me how he was blinded during his tour in Iraq, and how he had to relearn everything." 

As Ashley continued speaking, she had a pensive look on her face.

###Flashback

"Thank you for helping me pick up those Bibles. Please take one if you like. By the way, my name's Ron." 

Ashley smiled for the first time in an hour. "I'm Ashley," she said softly, wondering if her pimp could hear them. 

"Ashley, why are you out here?" Ron asked. His voice was calm and Ashley felt safe around this blind guy. 

"I'm a hooker. I know what you're thinking, I'm trash. Know one loves me." 

Ashley had resigned herself that Ron was just like those Christians. So she was surprised when John said, "You're a treasure in my eyes and in God's as well. You know, John tells a story about a woman caught in adultery." 

Ashley looked down at the lone Bible in her hand. "Where's the story about this girl?" Ashley asked her eyes filled with wonder. 

"John 8:1-11." Ron smiled as he said, "Is there a place where I can sit?" 

Ashley looked toward the restaurant two blocks away. "Yes, follow me." As they walked Ashley thought, my pimp is late, where is he? 

They walked inside and found a table and sat down. "John Chapter 8:1-11," Ron said again. 

John 8

 

1 ¶Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,

4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. Ashley reread the story again more slowly. Then she read it again slower than before taking in every word. "Ron, do you think if Jesus forgave that girl, do you think he'd forgive me?" Ron said softly, "Yes Ashley, there is room at the cross for you, and you can come just as you are. Ashley put her head in her hands. "Jesus, I don't know what to do, but please forgive. for. please. just save me from this road I'm on. Everyone else thinks I'm trash, and you didn't condemn that girl." Then Jesus spoke to Ashley's heart, "Ashley, you've asked me to forgive you. Can you forgive your parents for the hurt they've caused you?" Ashley thought, "Lord, I don't know how to forgive but can you teach me?" "Yes Jesus said." At that moment, Ashley knew she'd been forgiven. She looked at Ron and said, "I'm forgiven, I know I'm forgiven!" Ron said smiling "You can have that bible!" Ashley's face beamed as she thought of her new life and how she had been forgiven! "Tomorrow, we're having church! Want to come?" Ashley said, "Only if I can sit with you!" Ron smiled as he got up from his chair. "Ashley, I'm the pastor of New hope Baptist church." Ashley could not believe it. As she stood their in amazement, she looked outside and saw her pimp's car pulling up. She knew that at any moment, he'd come in to the building and hurt Ron. Ashley's pimp stormed into the building. "Ashley, where's my money!" Her pimp shouted as he grabbed her collar. "Mark, I'm not the same person I was an hour ago. I've given my life to Jesus." Ashley's face was radiant her pimp looked at the blind guy still standing at his seat. "Where's my money!" The pimp shouted at Ron. Ron wasn't afraid of this man. Ron looked at mark and said in a calm and resolute voice, "Sir, I do not oh you any money." Mark then saw the breafcase. He walked over to it and expecting to see money in it and so he threw it open. When Mark saw the bibles and knew their was no money for him, he slammed it shut. He turned toward Ashley and seeing her holding the bible in her hand began shouting profanities. A police officer on his lunch brake heard the camotion, and walked over to where they were and Ashley explained to the officer who mark was and how that he was her pimp. Mark then realized he'd forgotten his glock MM40 in the glove box, and he knew he was going down. The officer arrested him, and Ashley was taken to a halfway house. While there, Ron made it a point to visit with Ashley every chance he could.

"Hi Ashley!" Ron said in a jovel tone as Ashley lead him to a chair. "Ron, that verse you shared with me is really helping." Ron smiled as he asked, "What verse is that?" Ashley thought for a moment and said, "I don't know where it is, but it talks about Christ being your strength. Ron, I love it here at new life recovery. It's awesome! Thanks for telling that officer to bring me here!" Ron stood up and said, "Ashley, so we'll see you in church Sunday?" "Yes Ron you'll see me!"

 One day while he was visiting Ashley Ron was robed and beaten by a man as he was concluding his visit with Ashley outside of the halfway house. Ron's cane lay beside him

                Ashley sat by Ron weighting for the paramedics to arrive. When Ron got out of the hospital, he went back to the halfway house. "Ashley, thank you for being there for me when I needed you." Ron said softly patting Ashley on the sholder. "Ron, you told me about Jesus Christ and if it hadn't been for you obeying the Holy Spirit. I still would have been lost and on the streets as a prostitute."

###End of flashback

John was sleeping now. Ashley continued, I've had this bible ever since. "I'm glad that God stuff works for you! Enough already!" John said with a start. John continued in an angry tone, "Ashley, you don't care about me all you care about is that church, God, and Jesus!" This hurt Ashley deeply and so she said crying, "Goodbye John." After hanging up she logged out of Skype.  Ashley wondered if John would ever truly understand how deep her love was for him. Ashley had tried explaining agape love to John, but it was like talking to a brick wall. Ashley turned off the computer and walked into the bathroom to shower, brush her teeth, shave her legs and get ready for bed. The next day, Ashley logged into Skype and John called her. "Ashley, they've told me that they've not been able to find a match for me. John, you'll be alright.  Ashley said reassuringly. John said his voice shaking, "Ashley, I'm afraid of what's going to happen to me if I don't get this transplant." Ashley straightened up in her chair, reached over and got her bible off of the book case next to her computer desk. John looked at his webcam and said in an angry voice, "No Ashley not that God and Jesus stuff! You know I'm an atheist!" Ashley said softly thumbing trough the bible in her lap, "I know John, I just want to read this one passage to you. Mabie it will give you a since of how I feel about this situation. Actually two passages." John interrupted her. "Just get on with it Ashley!" John was shouting now. "John. Please. Ashley said as tears formed in her eyes. She continued this time crying. "John, I'm not always going to be around to help you. John, Just because I came from Mississippi to Florida to see you and or baught that mac your on. if that is why you're my friend because of the material things than our friendship is and has been based on a lie!" "John said just read whatever it was you were wanting to read to me. besides I don't know what good it'll do!" Little did John know that what Ashley was about to read to him was going to have a real and eternal impact upon his life.

Chapter 2 Know greater love

                John braced himself to hear the same hellfire and brimstone preaching he'd heard as a child. What he was about to hear was a different side of Jesus Christ than what pastor Charles Boxer had per trade  Christ to be. John 15

 

-13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John's mind almost immediately began filling up with questions. How could Jesus be the son of God, condemn people to hell, and yet talk of friendship? John wanted to ask Ashley, but he thought, "I'll ask her tomorrow," but little did he know that Ashley's eyes would be closed. John reconsidered when Ashley asked, "John, you've never heard that passage taught before have you?" John only sat motionless staring at his computer screen. John broke the silence. Ashley, Are you still planning on coming Sunday?" Ashley smiled. Of course John. I need to go for now, talk to you tomorrow.

                All that week, John couldn't sleep. John 15-13 still ringing in his head. It was three in the morning on Friday when he loged in to Skype. To his surprise Ashley was on line. She called and John answered. "Hello?" John's voice was shaking. "John, you sound upset." Ashley said out of concern. "Ashley I can't get those words out of my head! You know. the laying down your life for your friends?Ashley does this mean. does." John Ashley said calmly I'd give anything for you." Ashley, John said, you said we were just friends! Stephanie." "John, you'll understand in time. When God is ready, he'll reveal it." John cried "Ashley, why do I have to waight?" John, patients is the best teacher." Ashley said softly. She continued. John, I love you with a love that is over reaching. Agape love is the kind of love Jesus is talking about in John. Agape is a sacrificial love. It is the same love that brought Jesus to the cross." John was lost and he knew it. All his life he had been brought up to believe Christianity was a list of do this and don't do that's. Never before had he heard of God ever loving anyone. John finally said, " Ashley, I'm loging off, I'm going to try to get some sleep." "Alright John. See you Sunday." Ashley said removing her head phones. The next day, Ashley showed up at John's house around 10A.M. She was wearing shorts and a sourt sleeve shirt. John answered the dore. "Hi Ashley! Come in! John said reaching for her. Ashley took two steps back and John could tell by the look on Ashley's face she was upset. "John, you're really making it hard to be your friend! I will never be your girlfriend, nor will I ever be your wife!" Ashley turned and walked back to her car. John ran after her. "Ashley I love you, but all you think about is that Jesus! You can have your Jesus and your pharytale life with Jesus!" Ashley took a step toward John and calmly said, "John, you won't always have me around to help you. Oneday you're going to wake up and realize how good of a friend I was to you and your heart will brake and who will be there to take away the pain that you've caused yourself?" Ashley stood there looking intently at the man standing a few feet away from her. She continued, "John, I've tried explaining scripture to you and you just don't get it, but their's another teacher experience and sometimes this teacher can be painfull. Goodbye John." John could see Ashley was beyond hurt. Some how John knew Ashley's heart was braking. "Ashley, I'm sorry for saying what I said." John said looking like a dear cought in headlights. However, Ashley knew John wasn't sincere in the least bit. Ashley did not respond. Instead she got into her car, and started down the driveway. She turned onto the main road, and went a few miles. Suddenly, Ashley found herself in bumper to bumper traffic. From out of nowhere, a blue van sideswiped Ashley sending her car flying a few feet. She flew out of the broken window, and landed on the road just a few feet away from her mangled car. Ashley could see the outline of a figure coming toward her. Ashley immediately knew who it was. Jesus himself had come to take her home. "Jesus. John. Save. John." were Ashley's final words then closing her eyes in peaceful sleep she gave her soul to God.  

                Later on that night, John's sell phone rang. "Hello?" John said softly. "John, Ashley's been in a car accident." Ashley's mother said crying. John asked, "Where is she? What hospital is she in?" "John. Ashley didn't make it. She died on empact. I don't think she suffered at all John. I need to come and talk to you John. Gail said softly. There is something I need to tell you about Ashley." I'll be over to your place in a few days. Good bye John." John wondered about what Ashley's mother needed to tell him. John thought, "Where was she going to be in an accident? It seemed to John like an eternity during the conversation with Gale. All he knew was that his friend was gone, and he'd never see her again. John walked into his garage, and got into his car and went to the accident seen. All he saw cross on the spot where Ashley had lost her life. John was surprised to see gale stand there.

                "Well since you're here John, I'll just tell you. When Ashley renewed her drivers license, she became an organ doner. This happened one day after you informed her of your heart condition." John was ah struck. Gale continued, "John, Ashley as you know had a really rough childhood growing up. Her father abused both Ashley and I and it got so bad, that Ashley dropped out of school and went into prostitution." John glared at gale. "I know. I know!" "John please. respect Ashley's memory by not disrespecting me."Gail   Said sharply. Then John remembered the last words Ashley ever said to him