“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“You were kidding right?” I asked the woman in the elevator. We were heading to dinner last week on a 5 day cruise, and I noticed a woman’s T-shirt that read “Christian.” Entering the elevator I blurted out, “I guess we’ll be seeing you in heaven then too, huh?” She said, “you bet… ‘I’ have a SPECIAL room waiting for me there!”
It was then I saw her T-shirt actually said “Christianson,” Realizing it labeled her name, NOT necessarily her position in Christ, I just had to ask… “so what Heavenly ‘special room’ are you talking about?” She said, “years ago I adopted a special needs baby and raised it, now that girl is big and gives me fits… but I love her anyway! HAAAA!”
It took a minute to process her statement, and the elevator was filling with more people. Finally, I HAD to say something. “You WERE kidding about that room, right?” She looked at me seriously and said, “Absolutely!” I pondered and kept my mouth shut… until time to get off, then said, “That’s not how you get there. It’s about Faith in Jesus!”
Rehashing the conversation through my mind, I knew for certain that ‘Christianson’ was NOT a child of God! She really believed she deserved a special room there because of her own effort in raising a special needs child. With no time, and her spirit not open, I couldn’t present her with the salvation message about life in Heaven being a ‘Free Gift!’
The exchange took only a couple minutes. But I had presented God’s Truth! Her defiance, as we walked off the elevator, was not my concern. THAT was between her and God. MY job was to tell her the Truth. Gregory Koukl’s book ‘Tactics’ explains that sometimes, we only get a minute. But a TRUTHFUL minute can be powerfully used by God!
Contrary to the commercial Christmas message to ‘bring good cheer,’ we are called by Christ, who is the MEANING of Christmas… to simply ‘TELL THE TRUTH!’ I have dedicated Christmas 2024 to doing more of just that! How about YOU?
Merry Merry… all you fellow, saved by Faith, ‘Jesus People!’ wink-wink! Now go spread the Good News!
