Towards the end of last week, I took a trip to Fayetteville, North Carolina. On the way back to my home on Saturday, I had reached a point that I needed to stop for gas, a soda, and something to eat. I decided to leave Interstate 40 and exit to a little town called Canton, roughly halfway between the North Carolina state line and Asheville, North Carolina. After I paid for and pumped my gas, I decided to go into the store to go to the restroom and to buy some chips and drinks to take with me on the road. Without realizing it, I was whistling the old church hymn, He Keeps Me Singing as I entered the convenience store.
As I approached the counter with my sodas and chips, the cashier told me she found it refreshing to have a customer in the store that was truly happy. She shared with me that most of her customers are grouchy, inconsiderate, rude, or just indifferent. Common courtesy and politeness were rare especially since most of her store’s business comes from travellers off Interstate 40. As she rang my purchases up, she began to ask me questions about why I was travelling, where “home” was, and why I was in such a good mood. Almost without thinking about it, a verse soon ran through my head: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (I Peter 3:15).
Since January, I have prayed that God would give me more opportunity and more guidance in opportunities to lead others to His mercy and grace. I have only begun to truly learn to listen to His guidance in my efforts at personal evangelism. Taking the opportunity, I used the lady’s question about my good mood to be the beginning of a conversation about Jesus and how He alone was responsible for my good mood. With the careful guidance of the Holy Spirit, I was led to share with her that as a Christian, no matter how bad things get here, I have a Lord and Savior that not only places a high value on me but how His plan is to come and get me. I was led to share two passages: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31) and In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:2-6). I’ve tried to memorize these two passages unsuccessfully for years, but on Saturday afternoon, I was able to say them with a precision that I probably will never be able to match again.
