wednesday witness - week 1.

As promised, I'm giving you my first Wednesday Witness account. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you can refer back to my original post, which explains what I'm doing.


By talking about this, I am definitely not trying to toot my horn, because there's not even a horn to toot. It's kind of embarrassing to write about, really, because I do such a terrible job of witnessing. I just want to be accountable, honest, and gain help and insight from others. 


So this week, I prayed for opportunities to talk to others about the gospel. Knowing that I was going to write about it definitely made me more aware of potential opportunities, which was great. But, it seemed like every activity I was involved in this past week was with a group of believers in our own little bubble. It's great to have such wonderful fellowship, but like we talked about in my Bible study last night, Jesus had His intimate group of believers (His disciples) and yet He also dined with tax collectors and sinners. He reached out to the lost, even though everyone else thought it was ridiculous. 


  "As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. 'Follow me and be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed Him.
  Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with such scum?'

  When Jesus heard this, he said, 'Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.' Then he added, 'Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.'" -Matthew 9:9-13 (NLT)

I want to be more like Jesus and spend time with the lost, the "sick people", instead of spending all of my time with the "healthy people". 

I was driving down 401, thinking about everything but sharing the gospel, searching for the cheapest gas. I got into the left turn lane at a stoplight, waiting to turn into gas station. There were two homeless people, an older man and woman, walking up to the median right beside me. They were holding signs, their tanned skin beading sweat in the hot midday sun, years of hard times etched into their wrinkles. I did exactly what I'm sure most people do in that situation - tried not to look at them as I fumbled with my radio. I mean that's kinda uncomfortable right? Those people who stand there right beside your window looking at you? 

So I pulled into the gas station and looked back at them while pumping my gas. Wait. Was I supposed to share the gospel with them? How? I didn't even have any cash. I'm sure they'd just love it if I walked up with nothing but words to say. They've probably heard it before anyway. 

I drove away from the gas station, but still had that nagging thought. I was thinking and praying and finally decided to make my way over to Wendy's right down the road to buy a gift card. That seemed practical, and better than cash. I bought the card, got a gospel tract out of my purse, and drove back to the stoplight, not really knowing what I was going to say. But before I had time to really think about it, I was beside the median. The woman was gone, it was just the man. I rolled down my window and gestured for him to come closer. 

I can't really remember everything I said because I think I was talking really fast and maybe didn't even make sentences. I was nervous. It was something about how I wanted to share God's love with Him, gave him the gift card and tract, told him that Jesus had changed my life and that He came to save us, and said that the good news of the gospel was explained in the tract, and then the light turned green. He had been smiling and nodding and said "God bless" as I drove away. 

After a few minutes of driving, I thought, Why hadn't I just pulled into a parking lot, got out of the car, crossed the road, and stood on the median to talk to the man? I'm sure Jesus wouldn't have just leaned out of His car to talk to someone. He would've had a real, meaningful conversation. I could've kicked myself. But I'm learning, and next time I will make more of an effort.

Have you had any experiences like this? Advice? Anything? I'm praying that God can use me more and more and take me out of my comfort zone. Now I've learned that my comfort zone can be my little bubble of believers, or it can be my car.

Until next week, thank you for your prayers and support! Praise and honor be to our Lord Jesus Christ.