[updated July 16, 2009 - see below]
Here is a story that is plausible. It includes specific names and locations, and it fits with Christian experience. However, when I looked up Hanover Enterprises and Roger Sims I came up blank and this gives me pause. The earliest reference to this story seems to be J.Kirk Johnston, "Why Christians Sin," Discovery House, 1992, pp. 39-41. Does anyone have more details? It is #4399 in my database. (Further comments follow illustration)
Roger Simms had just left the military and was anxious to take his uniform off once and for all. He was hitchhiking home, and his heavy duffel bag made the trip even more arduous than hitchhiking normally is. Flashing his thumb to an oncoming car, he had just about given up hope when he saw the taillights flash on on a shiny, black, expensive car, so new that it had a temporary license in the back window... hardly the kind of car that would stop for a hitchhiker.
But to his amazement, the car stopped and the passenger door opened. He ran toward the car, placed his duffel carefully in the back, and slid into the leather-covered front seat. He was greeted by the friendly smile of a handsome older gentleman with distinguished gray hair and a deep tan.
"Hello, son. Are you on leave or are you going home for good?"
"I just got out of the army, and I'm going home for the first time in several years," answered Roger.
"Well, you're in luck in if you're going to Chicago."
"Not quite that far," said Roger, "but my home is on the way.
Do you live there, mister?"
"Hanover. Yes, I have a business there."
And with that, they were on their way. After giving each other brief life histories, and talking about everything under the sun, Roger (who was a Christian) felt a strong compulsion to witness to Mr. Hanover about Christ. But witnessing to an older, wealthy businessman who obviously had everything he should ever want was a scary prospect indeed. Roger kept putting if off, but as he neared his destination, he realized that it was now or never.
"Mr. Hanover," began Roger, "I would like to talk to you about something very important." He then proceeded to explain the way of salvation, ultimately asking Mr. Hanover if he would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger's astonishment, the high car pulled over to the side of the road; Roger thought for a moment that Mr. Hanover was about to throw him out. Then a strange and wonderful thing happened: the businessman began to cry while affirming that he did in fact want to accept Christ into his heart. He thanked Roger for talking to him, saying, "This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me." He then dropped Roger at his house and traveled on toward Chicago.
Five years went by, and Roger Simms married, had a child, and started a business of his own. One day, while packing for a business trip to Chicago, he came across a small, gold-embossed business card which Mr. Hanover had given him years earlier.
When Roger arrived in Chicago, he looked up Hanover Enterprises, and found it downtown in a very tall and important-looking building. The receptionist told him that it would be impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but that if he was on old friend, he should be able to see Mrs. Hanover. A little disappointed, he was led into a poshly-decorated office where an elegant looking woman was sitting at a huge oak desk.
She extended her hand, "You knew my husband?"
Roger explained how Mr. Hanover had been kind enough to give him a ride back home.
A look of interest passed across her face. "Can you tell what date that was?" "Sure," said Roger, "It was May 7th, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army."
"And did anything special happen on your ride...anything unusual?" Roger hesitated. Should he mention giving his witness? Had it been a source of contention between the two, which resulted in a marital breakup or separation? But once again, he felt the prompting of the Lord to be truthful. "Mrs. Hanover, your husband accepted the Lord into his heart that day. I explained the gospel message to him, and he pulled to the side of the road and wept, and then he prayed a prayer for salvation."
Suddenly she began to sob uncontrollably. After several minutes, she regained enough control to explain what had happened: "I grew up in a Christian home, but my husband did not. I had prayed for my husband's salvation for many years, and I believed God would save him. But just after he let you out of his car, on May 7th, he passed away in a horrible head-on collision. He never arrived home. I thought God had not kept His promise, and I stopped living for the Lord five years ago because I blamed Him for not keeping His word.
She accused God of not keeping His promises -- of not being faithful. Yet, in the end who proved His faithfulness and who didn't? 2 Timothy 2:13 says in part, "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful...." He does not deviate from His faithfulness; He can't. Faithfulness is a very real part of who and what He is! The truth is, Mrs. Hanover quit, God didn't!
Exodus 34:6 "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and FAITHFULNESS....'"
Apart from its historicity, this illustration presents other problems. Francisco, a Costa Rican Baptist missionary working in Atlanta, Georgia, noticed a grave inconsistency in the story. Mrs. Hannover claims a promise of God for the salvation of her unsaved husband. Mrs. Hannover married him out of God's will (a saved girl marrying an unsaved guy), then she believed God's promise for his salvation; what promise? God has not promised that if we marry an unsaved person that person will come to the saving knowledge of Christ! God made that promise to the Philippian jailer for a specific situation (Acts 16:31), but Paul notes that saved spouses do NOT have any guarantees of the salvation of their unsaved loved ones even if the Christian was saved after the marriage took place (1 Corinthians 7:16).
Update
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On July 16, 2009, I received this email from Chris Falter:
There is a "Hanover Enterprises" in the Chicago area, and with a little help from "Bing" I have tracked it down to 2058 Sheridan Rd, North Chicago, IL 60064. It evidently is a trucking firm, as it has a listing at a truckdriving jobs site (http://www.truckdrivingcdljobs.com/in/Illinois/N%20Chicago/HANOVER%20ENTERPRISES%20INC.php). While the road on that site is misspelled as "Sharidon"; there is no doubt that "Sheridan Rd" is correct, as it is in the 60064 zip code and there is a trucking firm at that address. How do I know there is a trucking firm at that address? Check the address on Google maps (http://maps.google.com) and you will see that the address is in an industrial area, with railroad tracks running around. Now zoom down to street level with "Street View" and take a look around--you will see nothing but 18-wheelers and single story buildings (widely interspersed). Now the story said the following:
...he came across a small, gold-embossed business card which Mr. Hanover had given him years earlier. When Roger arrived in Chicago, he looked up Hanover Enterprises, and found it downtown in a very tall and important-looking building. The receptionist told him that it would be impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but that if he was on old friend, he should be able to see Mrs. Hanover. A little disappointed, he was led into a poshly-decorated office where an elegant looking woman was sitting at a huge oak desk.
"Very tall and important looking building"? Nope, it's only one story tall. "Downtown"? Nope, it's in an industrial area in North Chicago that almost has more track feet than roadway. With poshly decorated offices and a huge oak desk? Whose owner hands out "gold embossed" business cards? Highly unlikely for a simple trucking firm in such circumstances.
Of course, there may or may not be a nugget of truth hidden somewhere in the story. When a story bears strong evidence of fabrication, though, I think it would be wise to avoid re-telling it...a sentiment which you clearly share.
