Sometimes, with a particular person, you drive for weeks and months and give countless rides day after day before you are blessed to have a "God moment" with that person. We are always trying to show something of Jesus to our riders. But, some of our passengers are very "hardened" to the Gospel and remain resistant to receiving it's Good News.
In such cases, our "method of evangelism" is very simple. Just keep helping them! Just keep getting them where they need to go! And, pray for opportunity. Look for open doors!
Then, one day, when you least expect it. A door opens.
Today a door opened. Today a seed was planted. Not just dropped on hard soil, but planted. I saw it on her face. She has been softening to us (the drivers) for a while now. (We take her to work five days a week, and we take her to drop her two boys off at Day Care in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon.) But she has not softened to Jesus, yet.
Today, she did. It's amazing how you're going about your business and suddenly find yourself in one of those "moments". You sense it. You feel it. Then, in your heart, you hear the Holy Spirit leading you into what to say.
This morning, she had just taken the boys into the DayCare facility. While waiting for her to return, I turned on the radio. They were telling the story of a highly trained Navy Seal who had volunteered for a mission six months ago. Some group (Civilian or military, I don't know. I didn't hear that part) was surrounded and out numbered on a hill, and unless they were extracted by helicopter, they would surely all be killed. This man did not have to go. He actually trained others in helicopter extraction and was no longer a member of an extraction unit. But the situation was desperate and he felt that he was needed. He went, and the rescue was accomplished. But eight Seals died on that hill that day, and he was one of those killed.
By the time she returned from the DayCare building and got back in the van, they were interviewing the widow of this man. She told of how it was so like him to think of others before himself and how, though she missed him, he was a hero to her and to their children.
The rest of the way to work, my passenger and I spoke of the depth of that singular act of courage and sacrifice. She was deeply affected.
As we were talking, the "moment" came upon us like as unexpectedly as a warm breeze on a cold day. I felt it. Then the Holy Spirit spoke gently to my heart, and said , "Tell her. She will understand, right now, like never before. Tell her."
We had pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant where she works. Just before she left the van, I said, "You know, that's what Jesus did for us. We were hopelessly surrounded with no way out. He didn't have to come on this mission. But he did, because he cares about us. He wanted to rescue us. And it cost Him his life."
I (and others) have told her enough about Jesus over the last 18 months that she knows what I was talking about.
Her eyes became reflective. Deep thought passed across her face. She slowly replied, "Yeah, I see what you mean." She closed the door and was gone.
Oh, it's good to watch as a seed goes deep! It's good to see our Lord Jesus, in that instant of understanding be catapulted, in her mind, from "that man that you guys are always talking about" to what he really is, "a HERO"! A moment like that makes all the effort worthwhile! It makes your day and gives you strength to go on!
Then, as I was driving (floating) away, I remembered the many drivers who are praying for her and daily helping her. There is NO DOUBT that their efforts and their prayers opened this door, today!
What a blessing to see some of the fruit of all those prayers and all those efforts.
Lord, we thank you for this blessing. Thank You for the open door!
Please bless HER with MORE OF YOU.
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Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
(Mark 4:20 NIV)
Always be a little kinder than necessary." - James M. Barrie
