I have to admit I have never been great at witnessing. If the spread of the gospel were to depend on me, we wouldn't be much past the disciple stage. Not sure why that is. I guess its always easier to talk RoughRider than it is to talk to people about the things of God.
But an opportunity arose last Tuesday that even I couldn't miss or at least was not given the opportunity to miss. For years around my office we have had a tradition where every second Tuesday we all go to lunch together. It's production week.
The sales people are all in, the production people are all together and we always have had that little luncheon. No matter who the staff may be or have been and its kind of nice.
Last Tuesday, over lunch, the subject of an after life came up. Presumably the catalyst was the two recent funerals that Louise and I have had in our lives. I was doing my best shrinking violet routine, concentrating on my second piece of pumpkin pie, and trying to stay out of it when one of the girls said to me, "Larry, you've just been through two funerals,do you think there's an afterlife or is this is all there is?"
Well there was an opening large enough to drive a semi trailer through. One that not even I could miss.
So I simply told them - I have never been to a non Christian funeral so I don't really know what transpires there. But for me
15 years ago as I buried my Father and recently as I watched the caskets of my Mother and Father in law being lowered into the ground, I just could not imagine how it would be if we did not have the hope, not only for them but for us as well, of something more. Of an eternity now to be spent with the one who created us and died for us.
One of the men than asked "So you think you will see them again? To which I replied and not in a glib manner. I believe they are already there (in heaven) and I guess whether I see them or not depends on me and what my relationship with God is.
That kind of ended the discussion but later in the day one of the men came to my office and said to me So you really think there is a heaven and we had another opportunity to talk for a moment or two about the subject again.
So out of the recent loss of two individuals that we esteem greatly came my opportunity to share even in a small and seemingly insignificant way. Whether God will take that little seed and develop into something with people who don't have a relationship is now up to him. And you know what, for me being a witness really wasn't as hard as I may have thought it would be. I am always reminded as well that sometimes our actions speak louder than our words.
So shall my word which goes forth from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire,
and without succeeding in the manner for which I sent it. (Isaiah 53:11)
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