Sam, Cigarettes and Salvation

Rev. Ann White, SW Washington

I met my friend Sam in 1958 in Shelton, Washington. He was a burly gentleman with a kind smile and very tender heart. He was also in a wheelchair, having been paralyzed by polio at age 14.

Sam didn’t let the handicap he dealt with slow him down at all. He was very creative, inventive and kept busy. He was a dispatcher for the Shelton Police Department for 28 years. He set up their 911 system and did a lot for the city.

He knew a lot about a lot of things, but no one had ever taken the time to talk with him about God, knowing the Lord Jesus as his personal savior and what all salvation could include. When I talked with him about the Lord, he would listen some, but didn’t show much interest otherwise.

Sam was a heavy smoker and just couldn’t or didn’t want to give them up. One day, I went by his house to visit awhile – with a very definite purpose on my part. He was very fond of me and would pretty much do what I asked him. So, after visiting awhile, I said, “Sam, I’ve got something for you today.” He said, “what?” I said, well, “give me your cigarettes.” His immediate and firm reply was, “no, whadda’ you want my cigarettes for?” I said, “Just give them to me; I have something to give you.” Finally, after some further persuasion, he reluctantly handed me his cigarettes, all the while thinking, “after she’s gone, I can go in the bedroom, get some more and smoke anyway.” He took them out of his pocket and handed them to me.

I reached in my purse, pulling out a little New Testament that I had brought for him. I said, “Please put this in your pocket, where the package of cigarettes were.” He smiled and said, “Okay, thanks.” But, he had the same thought, “I’ll do what she wants, but I’ll smoke after she leaves.”

That was on February 7^th, 1973, at 1:08 p.m. – which he wrote in front of the little Bible. I wrote at the bottom, “He quit smoking.”

That’s what happened. Sam never smoked another cigarette. He had no further desire for cigarettes. Then, he began to read the little Bible, asked Jesus to come into his heart and be his Savior and has led a beautiful Christian life since then.

Sunday, May 8, 2005, I received the call that Sam had gone home to be with his Savior and Lord, Jesus. He was holding his wife’s hand at that time, and exchanged that beautiful ladies’ hand for the hand of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Sam’s wife and daughter have a wonderful Father’s Day to remember this year, knowing that Sam is with his Heavenly Father, all because of “cigarettes and salvation.” I have the little Bible now, which is well worn. Even though Sam is gone from us temporarily, I will tell his story of “Sam, cigarettes and salvation” to everyone that comes to our home and show them his Bible. So, his life will continue to minister.

How about you dad? Will your life continue to minister after you’re gone? Sam’s does.

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