Who’s Pyro?

Pyro was once your typical skater and surfer — a guy with a passion for vintage clothing and looking fly. But somewhere along the way, he let his passions consume him, until he wasn't much more than a skeleton, a shell of a man, totally unfulfilled by what used to bring him so much life. He went looking for anything that could rekindle that feeling — more waves, more tricks, more finds — but it all just left him feeling empty. Finally, one night, he gave it all up. He skated to the park alone, stood at the edge of the bowl, and stared up at the stars. Tears started filling his eyes as he remembered the joy he used to feel — before his legs gave out and he dropped to his knees right there in the middle of it. "God, if You're there, I need You. I want to live, but it feels like I don't even know how anymore. Please show me what life should look like." He was jumpscared by a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around to see a mysterious man in a ball cap, his face shaded from view. He didn't understand it, but something about this man put him completely at ease — like he could tell him anything and it would be safe. "I always walk by this park and pray at night," the man said. "Saw you out here. Is there anything I can pray for you, son?" Pyro poured it all out to him. Every bit of it. When he was done, he felt a weight leaving his shoulders. The man prayed for him, then asked if he'd heard about a man named Jesus. "I've heard of God, and Jesus on the cross," Pyro said. "But honestly, all I know of Christians is that half of them are kind of mean. The other half I meet, though — they've got so much life in their eyes. I don't know if there's a difference in those people, but I want that. I don't want to be mean." "That's fair," the man said. "A lot of people wear His name and miss His heart. Doesn't mean they're evil — just lost, like the rest of us. But that's not who He is." He started telling Pyro about Jesus — about the sacrifice that lets us have new life, so we can be born again into joy. "YES." Right when the man said new life, Pyro's head came up. "That's it — that's what I've been looking for. How do I get Jesus? I believe it, I believe it's true. I want to know more. I want that new life." So the man prayed with him, right there, and Pyro accepted Jesus and the gift of his new life. He turned and hugged the man, thanking him over and over. "All I want to do right now is go tell everyone about Jesus. I want to bring Him with me everywhere I go." The second the words left his mouth, his bare skeleton lit aflame. Pyro looked up to the sky, closed his eyes, and thanked God. "I'm on fire for Jesus!" But when he turned back to the man, it was as if he'd disappeared. Pyro was confused for a second, but he just took it as a vision from God — and went about doing exactly what he'd said. He told everyone about the new life he'd found. Every skatepark. Every wave he caught. Every time he went to thrift. He did all of it unto Christ, and he loved it — it felt even better than he remembered, because now it had purpose. He felt fulfilled. Lit aflame. And Pyro still is, to this day — on fire, telling the story of how Jesus changed his life to everyone he meets.