03 The Silent Messenger
One weekend I was helping my church pass out religious pamphlets to random people in the local neighborhood. I really didn't want to do this. I mean, isn't stuff like this the pastor's job? I'm just a regular guy! Isn't enough that I read my Bible and go to church every week?
The first house I went to had a big gate. I was about to walk up to the front door but then I heard some growling then some very loud barking! Man, I ran out of that front yard so fast! It sounded like that the owner had a doberman or a pit bull in the house! Later, people told me that the owner only has a chihuahua, but I know what I heard!
The second house I went to was no fun either. I knocked on the door and a lady opened the door. I said hi and told her that I was with the local Seventh-day Adventist church and I had some free pamphlets she might like to read. She gave me a blank stare and said, "Huh?" I repeated what I said in Vietnamese because she looked kind of Asian, but she still said, "Huh?" I even asked her in Spanish, but she just kept shaking her head then she slammed the door on me! I was just staring at the door and I thought to myself, "This stinks! Was she Korean? I don't speak Korean! I don't have the gift of tongues! Man, I am so not qualified for this!"
After several more houses and enduring a lot of rejection, I decided I was just going to go to one more house then quit. I prayed a quick prayer and asked God if this is what He really wants me to do. Isn't there someone else who could do this sort of thing, like missionaries or professional evangelists? I walked up the driveway past an old beat-up car and knocked on the door. A man opened the door and he was yelling at someone inside the house as he walked out. "Oh yeah? Well, maybe I won't come home after work this time. Let me see how YOU handle foreclosure and putting food on the table!" the man angrily shouted.
I didn't know what to do and just smiled a sheepish smile and held out a "Signs of the Times" pamphlet out. The man barked at me, "What is this? Look I don't have any money to buy anything!"
I told him that it was free and I shoved the pamphlet into his hand. The title of the pamphlet was "Does God Care if I'm Hurting?" He scanned the pamphlet skeptically and asked, "Does God REALLY care that I'm hurting? Ah, whatever, I'm late for work." The man took the pamphlet and tossed it in his car and drove away. I just sighed. I bet the pastor would have had something profound to say and not grin like a goofball like me. I bet that guy is just going to throw the pamphlet away. Man, I spent all day doing this and I didn't accomplish anything. I just stink at this evangelism thing!
Months later, I happened to run into the angry man again. He stopped me as I was walking down the street. "Hey, do you remember me?" he asked. I said no and asked him if I met him at an evangelistic meeting or at church. He said no and reminded me that I gave him a pamphlet several months ago. He apologized for his rudeness and explained that he was in a tough financial bind at the time and that the stress was hurting his marriage. He actually read the pamphlet I gave him some time after he threw it into his car.
Reading the pamphlet made him realize that he was a hopeless sinner on a downward spiral. He decided right then and there that he needed to repent of his sins and accept Jesus in his life. He and his wife were able to reconcile and through the grace of God they were able to keep their house from foreclosure. He thanked me again and left on his way, making me realize what a powerful witness that little pamphlet was.
Maybe I didn't have to be a pastor, a missionary, or professional evangelist after all. I decided that I need to keep passing these pamphlets out! Who knows who these silent messengers of God will witness to? They might even change a person's life like that angry man!
Jesus' last words to his disciples were that they were to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This great commission is given to all of us also. You don't have to be a pastor or a missionary to evangelize to others. You can share with your friends how Jesus has made a difference in your life or you can pass out pamphlets to people or even leave those pamplets on car windshields or at front doors. We all can participate in evangelism and make a difference in people's lives with God's help!
- Recommended reading: Matthew 28:18-20
