"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Galatians 4:5-6)
As we are beginning this new year, I have been convicted of the need to be diligent to take advantage of every opportunity I have to share the gospel. As I also made a new commitment to take advantage of an exercise facility we have close to our house, I saw an elderly lady named Faye (age 90) at the sport's center. I have seen her several times over the past two years and even gave her a ride home on one occasion. (She usually rides the public transportation bus to get there and home.) She was leaving as I was arriving. Normally I am in a hurry to exercise and get finished, but this time I was trying to remember what was important so I stopped to talk to her. As we had the same conversation that we have every time we talk (starting with: "Now what is your name?" [she does have dementia]), I was able to steer the conversation to spiritual things. I was able to ask her about her church background and then to ask her: "If God were to ask you why He should let you into heaven what would you tell Him?" (a question form Evangelism Explosion) She was quick to respond that God wanted us to do our best and she had done her best. I was able to share with her the importance of asking Jesus to forgive us for our sins and that we can never be good enough on our own. Faye listened and was quiet a moment before she asked me what my name was again.
I don't know if she understood what I was saying or not, but I do know that I was trying to be obedient in sharing the good news of the gospel. And I know that I will continue to have that conversation when I see her the next time.
Prayer: "Lord, help me remember to keep the main thing the main thing!" (i.e. sharing the gospel)
