I had an interesting experience today when I went to meet Ben for lunch. Many afternoons I walk downtown and we have lunch along the river by the Renaissance Center, near his office.
Today as we were eating outside on a bench, a woman came up to us and said she had recently moved here with her husband from San Francisco and that they had started a church. She asked if we went to church, and we said yes, every week. She then said okay, and left. I think we both wondered why she hadn't continued with the slight opening we had given her, but I forgot about it as lunch went on.
A little while later, Ben asked me what I would have said if she had invited us to her church. I wasn't sure, but I told him it didn't seem nice to give someone false hope when there is no chance that we are leaving our own church. His response was that it would be a good missionary opportunity for us as well.
That got me thinking as I headed home. I saw this woman talking to a few other people as I walked, and I couldn't get her out of my head. I thought about my brother Geoff, who's on a mission right now and does exactly what this woman is doing every day (not to mention Josh, who goes on his mission in November). But I kept pushing the thoughts aside and I had left her behind and was about to head home when I decided I should turn around.
So I walked back a ways and searched for this woman, determined to walk up to her. However, she approached me first. She told me about how she had always been Christian, but she became truly converted a few years ago. She told me how happy she is now, and how it has transformed her life. It was a short, beautiful testimony.
She then said goodbye and started to walk off, but I knew I couldn't let her get away. So I asked her when her church meets. She gave me a card with information about the time and location of her church and we exchanged contact information.
I never even mentioned the name of my own church, but I feel like a door has been opened. I honestly don't known what will come of this interaction. Possibly nothing. Maybe the only reason I was prompted to talk to her was so that she would experience something other than the constant rejection I witnessed her receiving from other people. Or maybe it was more of a lesson for me than for her. I find I struggle with missionary experiences--out of shyness, I tend to keep my mouth closed. But whatever the reason, I'm glad I can look back on this experience with a warm heart and not regret.
Today as we were eating outside on a bench, a woman came up to us and said she had recently moved here with her husband from San Francisco and that they had started a church. She asked if we went to church, and we said yes, every week. She then said okay, and left. I think we both wondered why she hadn't continued with the slight opening we had given her, but I forgot about it as lunch went on.
A little while later, Ben asked me what I would have said if she had invited us to her church. I wasn't sure, but I told him it didn't seem nice to give someone false hope when there is no chance that we are leaving our own church. His response was that it would be a good missionary opportunity for us as well.
That got me thinking as I headed home. I saw this woman talking to a few other people as I walked, and I couldn't get her out of my head. I thought about my brother Geoff, who's on a mission right now and does exactly what this woman is doing every day (not to mention Josh, who goes on his mission in November). But I kept pushing the thoughts aside and I had left her behind and was about to head home when I decided I should turn around.
So I walked back a ways and searched for this woman, determined to walk up to her. However, she approached me first. She told me about how she had always been Christian, but she became truly converted a few years ago. She told me how happy she is now, and how it has transformed her life. It was a short, beautiful testimony.
She then said goodbye and started to walk off, but I knew I couldn't let her get away. So I asked her when her church meets. She gave me a card with information about the time and location of her church and we exchanged contact information.
I never even mentioned the name of my own church, but I feel like a door has been opened. I honestly don't known what will come of this interaction. Possibly nothing. Maybe the only reason I was prompted to talk to her was so that she would experience something other than the constant rejection I witnessed her receiving from other people. Or maybe it was more of a lesson for me than for her. I find I struggle with missionary experiences--out of shyness, I tend to keep my mouth closed. But whatever the reason, I'm glad I can look back on this experience with a warm heart and not regret.
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