In Your Face

     I recently acquired employment at a Chik-Fil-A near my house where I’ve since been cooking incredible quantities of french fries. In meeting new people and learning new skills, things have been a bit crazy, and moments for really getting to know my fellow workers have been few. I’ve had a great deal of fun getting to practice my Spanish while conversing with the numerous Hispanic members of the kitchen staff. One conversation went something like this:
     Santiago: “¿Como te llamas?”
     Caleb: “Me llamo Caleb.”
     S: “¿Eres Cristiano?”
     C: “Si.”
     S: “¿Qué tipo? Bautista, Mormón…”
     C: Presbyteriano. Es como Bautista.”
     S: “¿Usted ama Jehova?”
     C: “¡Absolutamente!”
     S: “Eso es bueno. Yo soy un Cristiano. ¡Soy un Cristiano Mexicano!”
It really seemed kind of funny at first, because the exchange was so to-the-point. Perhaps you didn’t understand that. Here’s the English version of the conversation:
     James: “What’s your name?”
     Caleb: “My name’s Caleb.”
     J: “Are you a Christian?”
     C: “Yeah.”
     J: “What kind? Baptist, Mormon…”
     C: “Presbyterian. It’s kind of like Baptist.”
     J: “Do you love God?”
     C: “Absolutely!”
     J: “That’s good. I’m a Christian. I’m a Mexican Christian!”
It was a very blunt little moment with no beating around the proverbial bush. It was actually quite refreshing to have that experience right in the middle of the work day, and Santiago and I became friends quickly, talking about life and singing songs we both remembered from church in Mexico.
     Another good friend of mine has had similar conversations before. Once, he walked up to a cashier at the mall and simply asked, “Do you know Jesus?” The girl replied that she did, but hadn’t been to church in a long time. It led to a conversation about church and fellowship, and she decided she should get back into church. It took just four words (two, in Spanish!) to open a door into someone else’s life that made a significant difference.
     There are nearly infinite opportunities everyday. It seems cliché and a bit dull to discuss these possibilities, but having experienced people stepping out on a limb to get to know me (and, from their perspective, possibly help me find true life), I think it really is important to take some of those opportunities.
     The story of the woman at the well in John 4 comes to mind. The woman there was a Samaritan, an adulteress, and an outcast even in her own society, not to mention the fact that she was a woman. Yet Jesus chose to talk to her, and offer her salvation. Jesus models for us this principle of using every opportunity to further the kingdom and reach out to others. That Jesus would reach out to this outcast of society, with no initial interest on her part, is amazing.
     It’s kind of like how we’re saved, too. If God didn’t choose to approach us and share the truth with us, our lives would be meaningless and worthless. Praise God that He chose to condescend to us, and to redeem for Himself a people! If God, in His glory, has reached out to you in your lowly estate, how can you refuse to reach out to those around you, who are truly no lower than you yourself?