They will know we are Christian by . . .
Last night was a different night for us in Five Points. Tim and I went downtown early to see what night life is like earlier in the evening. We usually meet the later crowd. We made our way to Starbucks, where Bill sat playing chess with friend. Bill is the most unique person I've ever met. The last time we talked was nearly a year ago, and not only was it the strangest conversation I've ever had (I could not even BEGIN to reconstruct it much less explain it), but his beard and his baseball hat reminded me quickly who he was.
When we walked through the door, he turned to see who was coming through the door and he greeted me as if we met yesterday. After exchanging some small talk, I told him, "Thank you for your kindness in remembering me."
"Oh," he said, "It's not so much that I remember you, but it's easy to tell you are a Christian."
"How so?" I wondered.
"Bulging pockets. You give yourself away, carrying all that literature in your pockets." He moved a chess piece.
I thought, "Gee. Do I look I have saddle bags or something?"
"Besides," he went on. "You guys are always stopping to talk to people, especially the younger crowd. Nobody else around here does that kind of thing. You Christians will talk to anybody."
"Yes, I suppose you are right," I said.
He gave us one of his tracts, and he spoke for minute about the ignorance of people in the Bible belt concerning scripture. Tim gave him a Ten Commandments coin, for which he was extremely grateful.
Later on in the evening, as we were leaving, we met with the CIU team who had just arrived for their shift. As we talked, a man came up behind our circle and said, "excuse me. Are you guys Christians?"
Of course we are.
He stepped into our circle (I suppose groups of party-ers don't stand in circles. Once a guy approached us when we were walking in teams and asked if we were Christians. How did he know? "You guys always go in pairs!") and got right to the point. "I'm a drunk and a drug addict. I am tired of it. Please pray for me."
The men laid hands on him and the women circled. Most everyone prayed for him. He heard the gospel in our prayers and was given the chance to repent and throw himself on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus for salvation. Tearfully, he prayed, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and breaking it into tiny pieces as a sign of repentance.
I gave him a Pocket Testament, a Roman's Road tract and we each gave him words of encouragement.
Amazing how, when the light shines, the darkness is exposed for what it really is.
