Work situation: I'm related to all my coworkers in the office. There are drivers and other people who come in, but I don't do sales OR directions (Everyone would be confused and totally lost). So for the most part, I don't have a lot of interaction with unbelievers. This has been a source of frustration and growth for me as I have worked here every summer between school. God has always been faithful, though, and has taught me a lot during these times.
This summer, I was beginning to feel frustrated again. The "Christian bubble" that we all find ourselves in at times was suffocating me. So, I prayed that God would open my eyes to opportunities to reach out to people in need and witness to the people I came across.
Enter Uber-Talkative Printer Repair Man: In his 60s or so, this guy was extremely knowledgeable about life--just ask him and he would tell you all about it . . . for the next 6 hours. He is chatting up a storm as I am just sitting there working on posting some sales. He asked if I was in school and I told him that I had just finished w/ a degree in Biblical Studies. At this point in the conversation, most people get kinda awkward and don't really know what to do with that info (Foremost question in their mind: what on earth are you going to do with that!?) But this guy's face lit up and he excitedly told me that he LOVED studying ancient religions! He had previously stated that he enjoyed debates and was a history buff. So, little warning bells are going off in my mind . . . and it was for good reason.
I asked him what he had studied and he quickly jumped to his study of the Bible. He was explaining how he had jumped all over this poor guy who had said the Bible was written by God. This led him to mention the "pagan Roman emperor" who had decided to put the Bible together. (Said emperor is swiftly rising in my lesser-liked-figures in history list, although he was definitely and sovereignly used by God). All this time I am praying, "Do I go there? Do I start this discussion?" I decided to wait and see if he would invite me into this diatribe (or if he just wanted to continue to rant) . . . and he did ask me.
Thus began a 2 hour long conversation covering whether or not there would ever be peace in the Middle East, Constantine, sources of authority, absolute truth, the cause of death (in which he insisted that historically, religion had killed the most people) the 10 Commandments, and why our beliefs about the afterlife affect our actions now. Through it all, he insisted he was a good person (he gave lists and lists of examples) who, because of all the "religious manuscripts" he had read, believed in God. However, he knew that God would not condemn him on judgment day because he had done so much good--even though I shared Scripture to the contrary. I pray that God would open his eyes to his sinful, condemned state before him. We were interrupted multiple times in our discussion with distractions and phone calls, but God was in control of each of those interruptions.
At the end, we started talking about PEACE. He talked about when he had visited a Buddhist temple, he believed they had found peace and he talked about finding peace and God in nature. However, when I asked him, "Do you think you have actually found peace? True peace?" He said, "No. I am still searching. I have not found it yet. But I want to." That was the first time he admitted that he was lacking something. The verse, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you," rang in my head like a gong. I have peace. This peace is not dependent on circumstances or on environment. It surpasses all these earthly things I am surrounded with. Wow. How often have I taken that for granted? As I looked at this man who was filled with his own self-righteousness and saw that he was tortured by his lack of peace, I was ashamed at my own flippancy regarding this blessing. As I heard how his life was now consumed with a quest for peace, I was filled with compassion for his groping in the darkness for the light, for the truth and for PEACE.
The conversation ended with him expressing over and over again his desire to talk more with me about this. He had to go, but he insisted that he would be back. I learned a lot from my interaction with him as the Holy Spirit led me and opened my eyes to areas in my own life that I needed to work on.
I am so thankful that God broke my Christian bubble.
Why is it so hard for man to admit that he has sinned before God and deserves condemnation? Because man is blinded. He is blinded to the truth. He is barricaded from true peace because he does not have a right relationship with God--with his Maker and Redeemer.
Why is it so easy for me to take Peace for granted? Why is it so easy for me to take my knowledge and access to the Truth for granted?
The next time you feel suffocated inside a Christian bubble--whether at school or work or at home . . . Pray about it. See what God does when your heart is ready to obey.
This summer, I was beginning to feel frustrated again. The "Christian bubble" that we all find ourselves in at times was suffocating me. So, I prayed that God would open my eyes to opportunities to reach out to people in need and witness to the people I came across.
Enter Uber-Talkative Printer Repair Man: In his 60s or so, this guy was extremely knowledgeable about life--just ask him and he would tell you all about it . . . for the next 6 hours. He is chatting up a storm as I am just sitting there working on posting some sales. He asked if I was in school and I told him that I had just finished w/ a degree in Biblical Studies. At this point in the conversation, most people get kinda awkward and don't really know what to do with that info (Foremost question in their mind: what on earth are you going to do with that!?) But this guy's face lit up and he excitedly told me that he LOVED studying ancient religions! He had previously stated that he enjoyed debates and was a history buff. So, little warning bells are going off in my mind . . . and it was for good reason.
I asked him what he had studied and he quickly jumped to his study of the Bible. He was explaining how he had jumped all over this poor guy who had said the Bible was written by God. This led him to mention the "pagan Roman emperor" who had decided to put the Bible together. (Said emperor is swiftly rising in my lesser-liked-figures in history list, although he was definitely and sovereignly used by God). All this time I am praying, "Do I go there? Do I start this discussion?" I decided to wait and see if he would invite me into this diatribe (or if he just wanted to continue to rant) . . . and he did ask me.
Thus began a 2 hour long conversation covering whether or not there would ever be peace in the Middle East, Constantine, sources of authority, absolute truth, the cause of death (in which he insisted that historically, religion had killed the most people) the 10 Commandments, and why our beliefs about the afterlife affect our actions now. Through it all, he insisted he was a good person (he gave lists and lists of examples) who, because of all the "religious manuscripts" he had read, believed in God. However, he knew that God would not condemn him on judgment day because he had done so much good--even though I shared Scripture to the contrary. I pray that God would open his eyes to his sinful, condemned state before him. We were interrupted multiple times in our discussion with distractions and phone calls, but God was in control of each of those interruptions.
At the end, we started talking about PEACE. He talked about when he had visited a Buddhist temple, he believed they had found peace and he talked about finding peace and God in nature. However, when I asked him, "Do you think you have actually found peace? True peace?" He said, "No. I am still searching. I have not found it yet. But I want to." That was the first time he admitted that he was lacking something. The verse, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you," rang in my head like a gong. I have peace. This peace is not dependent on circumstances or on environment. It surpasses all these earthly things I am surrounded with. Wow. How often have I taken that for granted? As I looked at this man who was filled with his own self-righteousness and saw that he was tortured by his lack of peace, I was ashamed at my own flippancy regarding this blessing. As I heard how his life was now consumed with a quest for peace, I was filled with compassion for his groping in the darkness for the light, for the truth and for PEACE.
The conversation ended with him expressing over and over again his desire to talk more with me about this. He had to go, but he insisted that he would be back. I learned a lot from my interaction with him as the Holy Spirit led me and opened my eyes to areas in my own life that I needed to work on.
I am so thankful that God broke my Christian bubble.
Why is it so hard for man to admit that he has sinned before God and deserves condemnation? Because man is blinded. He is blinded to the truth. He is barricaded from true peace because he does not have a right relationship with God--with his Maker and Redeemer.
Why is it so easy for me to take Peace for granted? Why is it so easy for me to take my knowledge and access to the Truth for granted?
The next time you feel suffocated inside a Christian bubble--whether at school or work or at home . . . Pray about it. See what God does when your heart is ready to obey.
Thanks Melinda for that reminder. We have peace, not based on or circumstances, but on our eternal destinies. What an encouraging story of God's answer to prayer.
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