The Everyday Club

7/27/11 Walter, about 25
I remember praying for opportunities to witnesss years ago, sincerely asking God to cause them to fall in my lap throughout my day. What I envisioned was that people that I happened to bump into would express some sort of spiritual interest at best or that at worst I would "pop the (spiritual) question" to someone I was already having a natural conversation with. The key word there is "natural" - I reasoned that these conversations would just happen naturally and I told myself that this was somehow more spiritual, more of a "God thing" than if I purposefully initiated a conversation. What I now believe is that I was secretly justifying my own fear of rejection, a fear that is rooted in a fear of man and rooted deeper still in my own selfish pride and concern for my own ego. That pride didn't just disappear, and I still fear rejection, but God is working on it. Today is a travel day and I stopped at a rest area in Wisconsin. Walking back to my car I saw a young man driving a "Geek Squad" car who had stopped at the far end of the parking lot for a smoke. His was the only car past mine, and to talk to him would mean a short hike of perhaps 75 yards. There could be no other reason for me to walk in his direction, and should he reject a conversation it would mean a long humiliating (in the world's eyes) walk back to my car. He had just lit up his cigarette, so I knew he wasn't leaving soon and I decided to make the journey. It turned out he - Walter - was very willing to talk, had a false assurance of salvation, and welcomed my correction. He has some serious thinking to do about the place Jesus needs to have in his life, and he thanked me for the conversation. No matter where it goes from here - or even if Walter had rejected a conversation in the first place - I believe God has been glorified through the boldness and obedience He so graciously gave me.