At my local grocery store I've gotten to meet many of the workers. There is quite a large number of workers from non-US countries (Morocco and India, for example). I chat light-heartedly to them, and try to remember their names which are on their name tags. Over time I ask them about their own countries, their families, how long they have been here, etc. I often offer them a 'gift' in their own language, and then source a new testament or a multi-language 'Jesus Film' DVD, and give this to them. (multilanguage.com)
A couple days ago, after getting to know one such employee over the last 2 years, I asked him how his mother was doing, as I knew she was suffering from some illness. He said to me that she was fine, but that his father, in fact, had passed away 2 weeks previously back in Morocco. I expressed my condolences, and stood to chat to him for a while. He opened up and shared that his mother was now afraid to turn the light off at night. I do know that I have already given this man, Ali, a scripture in Arabic, but it was a long time ago. As I left the store I had the idea that I would source a gospel of John in Arabic to give him to send his mother, and I will explain to him that in this gospel Jesus speaks about how he is the 'Light of the World.' (John 1:9; 8:12), and that I hope is mother can read this, and find this comforting. I am going to also, Lord willing, use this same opportunity to gift to Ali the Jesus Film DVD that has Arabic as a subtitle setting. I have these materials on order - and on their way - from multilanguage.com, and am praying the Lord will go before me in this...
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So I had one tract in my wallet, but this evening was 'my time'. I was on my way to a café (where I am now, actually!:)), and it was God's gift to me to rest, relax. He gives rest to us! (Ps 127:2) But... I saw this young guy sitting alone on a bench in the small park that I was walking through. He was sitting on a bench alone, playing on his phone... I stopped, looked, and thought. Oh, Jesus, it is tough every time! I walked his way, and as I approached I said, 'Hey man...' He looked up. 'Here's a bible verse to encourage you.'* He took it, heard what I said, and pushed it back at me and shook his head, looked back down at his phone... I just gently said, 'No problem, man, you don't want it...' I was turning to walk off. He looked up and said, 'I mean, what kind of God creates all this evil in the world and then asks us to love him?'
I stopped. He was almost shaking with anger. I said, 'Yes, I know.' He went on, 'I mean, I just can't accept that, it's crazy, it's evil in itself!' I nodded, and said, 'Yes, I also really struggle with the evil and suffering in the world. I don't personally see God as the instigator of evil, but I, too, struggle with the question of why did God not step in and stop this hurt to the child, or that person...?' He nodded, and agreed animatedly. Something interesting then happened. He started into another comment, apologized for 'dumping more on me', but then lost his train of thought. He sat there for a few seconds saying out loud the couple of previous points, trying to capture some other point that he had, but lost. This split second was interesting, because it was the picture of someone losing their balance when the thing they push against ceased to resist them, or hold them up. Like in tug-a-war when the other team let go of the rope... everyone pulling with such force falls flat. After we agreed with each other, effectively, that God's ways are not our ways (that was my angle, anyway!:)), I asked him his name and gave him mine. We shook hands. I came. I took a 'hit', and I left feeling that someone's heart was a little softer as a result. I gave my tract to the next person I talked to, and she was delighted with the verse on it!:) |
AuthorPeter Walker. Archives
March 2022
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