No Excuses

“That trip to Wal-Mart with my kids was awesome!” – Said no one ever…

I used to believe that. I’m a glutton for punishment as I almost always go to the store with my kids. Once we enter the doors, my kid’s dreams of the glorious toy aisle, or the “I want this. I want that.” begins; usually ending with a few bruises, multiple trips to the filthiest bathrooms on the planet, and tears. 

Sometimes the kids cry too…

That quote was invalidated on my trip to Wal-Mart today. Sure there was the begging for a stroll down the toy aisle, trip to the bathroom where I’m pretty sure some bad Indian food had its revenge on the previous occupant, and a shopping cart full of crap that I would not purchase otherwise but I did so to buy myself 10 second intervals of intermittent peace from my boys.

But there was something different about this trip. God showed up!

As I arrived in the morning, all of the shopping carts were wet; it had rained the night before. Needless to say all of the “kids carts” were soaked too. I grabbed one because it’s the only way I can keep my boys within arms-reach of me, and made my way to the front door.  While walking to the entrance a man ran past me, then greeted me as I crossed through the veil of the automatic doors of Super Wal-Mart.  He wiped down the entire cart so my boys wouldn’t have to sit on the wet seats. Upon finishing, I thanked him and noticed tattered his hat, which said “Jesus Saves."

I made a quick comment “I like your hat” and he said “Thanks. (Paused) You know…” and then began to share the Gospel with me.  Not in some preachy, flakey manner either.  Sure he was a bit timid and nervous, but being real. He told me how his life changed once he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and how Jesus can do the same for me, bringing me a love like I’ve never experienced before.

I was blown away. While my instincts wanted to cut him off and tell him that we are already brothers in Christ, I was so drawn to hearing him share the Gospel with me.

So I let just him keep talking.

When he finished, I told him how blessed I was by his willingness to share the Gospel. I gave him a big high five and blessed him with a little something called a LoveBomb.

I’ve never been greeted at a Wal-Mart like that!

As I proceeded to shop I thought to myself “wow I must look crap for him to think I'm such a sinner that he had to share the Gospel with me.” I was then quickly rebuked by Holy Spirit because I was putting my prideful image before my own reality. 

I am sinner, no doubt! Put a tuxedo on me, business suit, or choir robe; doesn’t matter…  I’m still a sinner. So yes, I certainly look like one at Wal-Mart too!

Once I got past my own prideful self, I thought about how awesome it is that there are others who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and share the Gospel. I’ve shared with others but almost never am I on the other side of receiving the Gospel outside of the four walls of a church building.

As I was leaving, I ran into my new friend again. We chatted for a minute where he told me his name, Glen, and about the church he attends close by. He gave me a small tract he had in his pocket from his church and said it was so exciting for him to run into another brother in Christ while at work. He said “that almost never happens.”

I knew in that moment that God had put me there to also be an encourager to him. To help him build his confidence and prepare him for the next person God has specifically lined up for him to cross paths with. I gave him a word of encouragement and even snapped a pic with him.  What an encounter!

So now I am left thinking: what’s my excuse? 

How about all of the very random people I encounter every day?

Why am I not sharing the Gospel with them?

Why are other Christians not sharing the Gospel 

with others like my friend Glen did with me?

For me, it’s almost always a matter of inconvenience. It’s not that I don’t want to share the Gospel with someone, or that I’m afraid to.

It’s that I’m too busy to.

And I’m the first to admit that’s a lame excuse!

If you read the Book of Acts, not once did Paul pass by someone and not share the Gospel because they were in a hurry to needed to get to Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth, or wherever.

Nope. He knew the importance of what he was doing.

One such encounter occurred in Philippi with a woman named Lydia.  They (Paul, Silas, and Timothy) were headed to Thessalonica but along their journey:

“One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.” Acts 16:14-15

It wasn’t always about the destination. The journey was just as important. Shortly after their encounter with Lydia, Paul and Silas were arrested (read about it in Acts 16:16-40).  After they were freed from prison following the miraculous earthquake, they sought refuge at none other than Lydia’s home.

When our lives become too busy to share the Gospel, it’s not the Gospel that should suffer, we need to unburden our lives.  The thought of standing before God one day and saying “I was too busy” is simply not something I want to ever do.

Thank God for His Grace…

Even still, my friend Glen didn’t need much time. He created a relationship with me by doing a selfless, unrequired act of kindness. That simple act grabbed my attention. From there, all he had to do was talk. I was listening.

Wow, that’s really simple.

Yes, and simple is good.

So next time opportunity presents itself to share the Gospel, I’m not going to make excuses that I’m too busy.  Regardless of whether it takes me 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 3 hours, if it can change someone’s life to bring them a love like they’ve never experienced before, it’s worth it!

How about you? Are you too busy?

What is keeping you from sharing the Gospel?