Blind Spot

10/29/13                 Olga                 about 22

While paying for my coffee and talking with the barista, I told her I was from a local church and there to ask people about their beliefs.  She gave me a skeptical “good luck with that” look, but was surprised when the other barista, Olga, chimed in “That’s cool! You can interview me!”  She took a break from her work and we sat down for the “interview”.  Olga told me about her spiritual journey.  “I was baptized Catholic, Presbyterian, Evangelical, and now I would say I’m non-denominational.”  She was very enthusiastic about her beliefs, which would explain why she was so willing to be interviewed, but I soon found those beliefs to be troubling.  “I believe God gives everyone many chances, and if we don’t get it right in this life, we can be reincarnated into another life” was her basic premise.  I knew she was only on a short break and our time to talk was limited, and for me to pursue the conversation later with this young lady would be inappropriate, so I tried to explain the Gospel as best as I could in the short time I had, about the last five minutes of her 15 minute break.  My basic premise in reply was that even if we did have multiple lives to “get it right”, we could never earn a place in heaven by our own efforts or good works, I explained how, instead, Jesus took the punishment we deserve, and that only by faith in Him can we be saved, not by our good works.  “Do you have that kind of faith?” I asked.  This was a bad question on my part, because it has an obvious and easy answer and I didn’t have time to clarify what “that kind of faith” really was.  “Oh yes, of course, I’ve had faith in God since I was a little child” she said quickly.  Despite her outward enthusiasm for God, it hadn’t translated into a diligent study of His word, and she has a blind spot as to what it really means to be in a right relationship with God.  She wants to come to our church and I hope she does, but either way I pray that the Lord will “send more laborers” to her, who can help direct her enthusiasm and faith to the foot of the cross.