Saturday, April 05, 2008

Witnessing Encounter

I met with a buddy today to share the gospel in town. When he got there we prayed and took off. Our time was limited because we both had to get home.

After chatting for a few minutes and then beginning in prayer, we spotted some fish nearby. I had a great conversation with two younger girls; 14 and 16. They were sitting down and so when I approached them and handed them a MDB I asked if they have a Christian background. They said “no, a catholic background”; (I am surprised they knew there is a difference). I asked if they were familiar with the 10 commandments. They said yes. I asked if they could name any of them. They named about 4. I asked if they thought they were good people. They said yes. I asked if they have ever told a lie (yes), stolen (yes – after realizing cheating on a test was stealing), blasphemed (yes); I told them the seriousness of that and what God says in that commandment about it.

I also asked if they thought sexually about another person (knowing they are in the crazy modern world i said "with a boy or a girl"), and then they learned that lust is part of the adultery commandment. I also told them what the original word “Pornania” means (all kinds of sexual perversion: sexual thoughts, magazines, pictures, sex before marriage, homosexuality, affair after marriage, etc) . They learned what Jesus said about it too. They asked about homosexuality and why it was wrong. I told them it was wrong because God said so. God created us to be united as a man and a woman only. But because of our sinful natures we want to do what is against God or in rebellion to him and what is right. We want to do those things and gravitate towards them.

I then asked if they have ever hated someone. They said no, been upset but not hate. I asked even when they were younger and had a fit cause they didn’t get their way, or yelled at their parents that they hated them or any other kind of situation in life, but they couldn’t recall it. So I told them I would give them the benefit of the doubt on that one, but that they might be guilty of that. I told them that these were only some of the commandments. I asked if they thought they were good people. They said yes. Then one of the girl’s phones ran. I waited for her conversation to be over. It only took a minute. Apparently their parents would be there in a minute to get them. So I tried to fast forward the conversation as best I could.

We got back to the question. They said they were good. I said that they admitted to doing those things, and when they die and stand before God they will be guilty, (their parents were walking towards us at this time), I said (as they stood up, I kindly yet firmly said) “these are serious crimes, and I don’t want you to go to hell because of them. God did something for you so you don’t have to go…. Read the back of that (tract) and you can find out what that is” and I thanked them for their time. And they ran off. My teammate gave them a “are you a good person” in Spanish mini tract too as they were leaving.

We prayed for them and thanked the Lord for the opportunity to reach out to them.