Paper, Plastic or Jesus?

It’s Encore Week! In looking back over this blog, I decided I wanted to highlight the top posts…the posts with the most views and comments. This one was the most popular and it’s also one of my favorite stories. Enjoy…

Standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, my son had attracted an audience. Proudly I watched his little arms strain to reach the butter and cheese in the bottom of the cart. With each item he placed on the belt, he was building a leaning tower of dairy products, toilet paper and juice. Maybe he’ll be an engineer one day, I thought as he added the eggs to the top of the pile. Before I could panic, I heard his little voice.

“Hey, do you know Jesus?” he asked the elderly woman standing in line behind us.

“Why yes I do young man. What a brave boy you are to ask. Do you often tell people about Jesus?”

Out of the mouths of babes! Bursting with pride, I placed my hand on my son’s shoulder. He was only five and he had a gift of boldness. It was not unusual to see him talking about Jesus to kids on his baseball team or the guy sitting behind us on the plane. His innocence and passion for the message of salvation compelled him to tell others and he didn’t usually miss a chance. Of course, his sisters generally ran away quickly when they heard him say “Excuse me, can I ask you a question?”

Looking up at the woman behind us, my son seemed to be considering his response to her question. I was just about to answer for him when he calmly stated…

“Yes, I like to tell everyone about Jesus, but especially the old people. Because they are going to die soon and I want them to get to heaven.”

With my jaw resting on the floor, I quickly shifted my glance to the last items coming down the belt. I prayed the cashier would ring faster. I began bagging my own groceries as if my very existence depended on getting out of that store as quickly as possible. I hoped the woman had a sense of humor. I peeked at my son who was smiling as if he’d just said the most obvious thing in the world. And even if what he said made perfect sense, I really didn’t want to see the reaction of the audience behind us.

As I retold the story to my husband, my embarrassment had lessened and pride in my son’s boldness had increased. Shame on me, I thought, knowing I was not typically brave enough to tell a random person about Jesus. Yet my five-year old son was telling others like it was second nature.

More times than I care to admit, a spirit of fear stands between me and the thing I know I should do. Fear is one of the main weapons Satan uses against believers. If he keeps you in fear, he will keep you from showing the love of Christ to others and growing spiritually in the process.  Yet, as Christians we have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living inside us and satan knows that. The power we have is immeasurable if we will only be brave enough to use it. Trusting the still small voice inside us, we need to act with boldness and confidence. Fear has no place in our lives. If God calls us to do something, He will equip us with the ability to do it.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.   2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)