This remarkable story recently made national headlines. Pauline Jacoby had just finished putting her purchases in the trunk of her car in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart in Dyersburg, Tennessee. As she got into the driver’s seat, a man slid into the front passenger seat and told her that she had a gun and that she wanted all the money from her.
Lady. Jacoby is ninety-two years old and reads his Bible every day. She has a halo of blue dyed gray hair and gold wire-rimmed glasses. She dresses smartly, takes care to look her best with tastefully applied makeup and manicured nails, and looks considerably younger than her age.
Mentally, she is sharp as a tack. However, the cadence of her speech, which is laced with a heavy southern accent, betrays her age as do the gnarled, arthritic knuckles on her hands. Her face is still beautiful, displaying the wrinkles and lines of a life well lived.
He looked at the menacing stranger and said, “No, I’m not going to give you my money,” standing his ground as he repeated his decision no less than three times. Lady. Jacoby then informed the man, “As fast as you kill me, I’m going to heaven and you’re going to hell!” She advised him to ask God for forgiveness and told him, “Jesus is in this car and he accompanies me everywhere.”
The would-be thief was totally confused and looked around as tears began to fill his eyes. She proceeded to witness and minister to this young man for over ten minutes as they continued to sit in the car. He told her, “I think I’ll go home and pray tonight.” “You don’t have to wait until tonight, you can pray whenever you want” she assured.
As he sat there openly crying, she willingly reached into her bag and gave him all the money she had; ten dollars. “Don’t go spending this on whiskey either!” She awarded with a kind smile. He thanked her for her money, and to her surprise and delight, she leaned close to her and kissed her soft, wrinkled cheek, then got out of the car and simply walked away from her.
Although I have never met Mrs. Pauline Jacoby, I think I can make some educated guesses about this brave woman. She’s probably born and raised in the South and she’s probably been a Christian for a long time and she takes her relationship with God very seriously.
I doubt he’s accomplished anything noteworthy that the world at large would find impressive. Considering the era she was born into, she most likely married young and raised her children in good Southern manners, hoping for good grades and making sure they paid attention to her Sunday school lessons. I can imagine that she gave herself a blessing before every meal that she took pride in cooking and serving her family.
I have to assume that she is now a widow and still lives in the house she shared with her husband for decades. The TV interview revealed lace curtains and floral wallpaper hanging in her living room with crocheted doilies draping the backs of a well-worn sofa and chair. A safe and familiar home, reverberating with priceless memories of joy, sadness, love, laughter and the hard work of many years.
In those few minutes of what was no doubt a terrifying ordeal, this little old saint did more for the Kingdom of God than most of us ever will. He showed the grace and love of Christ to a very lost and lonely soul. Only in heaven will he know the end result of what could have been the sacrifice of his own life.
Because of the tenderness and courage he showed, perhaps that young man will give his life to Christ and continue to lead many others to the Lord. Who knows what he might accomplish in the next few days because of his testimony?
I wonder how I would have reacted in the same situation. Would he have defended me? Did he panic and hand my cash over to the attacker? Or would she have the quiet, quiet courage of a ninety-two-year-old lady who wants to take every opportunity she gets to tell others about the Savior she loves? Perhaps one day she can produce as much for the Kingdom of God as Mrs. Pauline Jacoby did in those few minutes.
I am sure of one thing; I bet his actions resulted in a celebration among the angels, as well as causing a big smile to appear on the face of the Master he serves.