I went to a grocery store, not the same one, but a different store. last week. Yet in those places and spaces filled with faces, it didn’t happen! I sat in a lobby area at a local hospital, working at a table alone on my personal computer. There was an open seat across from me, and I believe I looked open to holding a conversation or at least worthy exchanging a friendly greeting with people passing by. I was careful not to look unapproachable, unfriendly, or as I wanted to be uninterrupted. But while sitting there for two hours, that’s 120 minutes in the midst of a lot of foot traffic, no one chose to sit at that empty seat across from me and people passed by me without glancing one eye in my direction. So, I can say with integrity, “It didn’t happen!”
I left the table mentioned above and headed for the elevator in the same hospital. I had a doctor’s visit. I was early, as often is the case, so I sat outside in the waiting area. People with what I call witnessing shirts, people with gold chains accessorized with crosses around their neck, and even some old soldiers of the Lord’s army, senior saints with church gear on came and they went. As far as interaction, still, I have to report that, “It didn’t happen!” Oh, people acknowledge my “Hello! How are you?” – but that’s where the conversation ended, Witnessing? “It didn’t happen!”
At the home improvement stores, it didn’t happen! At the watch repair shop, it didn’t happen! At the buffet in the cafeteria, the one dubbed by one of my own son’s as “the last stop before heaven,” it didn’t happen! At the shop where you can buy healthy food and natural remedies for the body, not things for the soul, “It didn’t happen.” At the thrift shop where people were once afraid to be seen shopping but now recognize that new stuff and great finds can be purchased for next to nothing, “It didn’t happen.”
Not one time – did anyone try to establish rapport to do some personal evangelism. Not one time – did anyone ask me if I attended church. Not one time – did anyone hand me a card inviting me to attend their church. Not one time, well, with the exception of the occasional greeter’s “God bless you,” did anyone act like they knew the Lord Jesus. Not one time – did anyone try to witness to me.
Well, perhaps this week will be different, and someone will come up to me, ready to be obedient to Jesus’ words in the closing verses. Or just maybe this meditation is for me to try harder to make it happen. Hmmm? Oh, I called myself out, now let me call you out. Someone is waiting for you, yes you, to perform your duty as described in the scriptures below. To you I say, “Make it happen!” Be blessed!
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King
That is exactly what doesn’t happen. People aren’t ready or willing to be rejected. I found courage one day to invite a team of associates to our church by asking one of them if I could leave an outreach card to Salt Of The Earth. He said, I could leave them and he would put them in their break room. Although it was such a minor gesture, I felt uplifted. It didn’t take much, yet most of the time I am one of those that aren’t ready to receive a rejection to the request. I have to do better.
The positive thing is that you had the courage to ask and you got a positive response. And guess what? You will never know the impact you had. You could have been planting, or watering perhaps, but God will give the increase. And He is smiling on you! Be blessed!