The Everyday Club

12/30/09 George, about 17
On a late evening stop at the grocery store to pick up a few items, my son Jonathan, 19, walked with me while I tried to initiate a gospel conversation. Several people happily received my "million dollar bill" tracts and my friendly challenge to "take the good person test on the back, I failed it myself" but the first who was actually willing to stop and talk about it was George, an amiable young man who seemed to have no strong religious beliefs one way or another. Even though his mother is a regular church attendee, George told me he had no church experience and had never heard of the Ten Commandments. He believes in God but hasn't really thought much about eternal things. He patiently listened while I talked about our accountability to God and His commandments, our guilt in breaking them and the punishment we deserve, God's love for justice but also his love for us and the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf, and the need for George to repent and believe in response. He seemed to agree with everything I said, but didn't ask any questions so it wasn't really a two-way conversation. When people ask questions or even challenge what I am saying I know that they are really listening and understanding. I believe George might wake up tomorrow and think something like "I can't remember much of what that guy said but I do remember that it all made a lot of sense at the time." If that motivates him to read what I gave him or better yet, read the Bible on his own or start to attend a church, then I will be glad, a seed has been planted.