Opportunities

Early last week, after I got out of class, I was walking across campus. I was in a slight hurry, since I needed to go straight to work. But as I was walking, I was stopped by someone who was trying to talk to people, and he had a book in his hand. He said he wanted to talk to me about some things I could do to destress and relax. Then he opened the book and pointed to something about yoga. I glanced at the cover and said "Is that the Gita? Does that have to do with Hinduism?" He said "Yes, but it's only for open-minded people. Are you open minded or closed minded?" Panicked at the question and in a hurry, I said without thinking, "If it's that, I'm closed minded." I began to walk off, when I heard him say to me again, "It's only for open-minded people."

I thought about the conversation all the way to my car, a little shaken at how it had gone. I was quite angry at myself for answering him that way and then walking off. I was also angry that Satan had me right where he wanted me-taken off guard, out of my comfort zone, and in a hurry! What an opportunity that could have been to plant seeds with that guy. Using his line of thinking, if I would have been cordial and listened to what he had to say, I could have asked him questions about eternity and maybe even shared MY faith. "After all", I could have said, "it's only for open-minded people." Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in pushing what I believe on anyone. I think if your going to shove your beliefs down someone's throat, the best thing to do is to keep your mouth shut. You'll do more harm than you'll ever do good. But as believers, we are called to be witnesses, with the way we live, love, and share our faith. Alot of times, the best seeds that are planted with others are in conversations where we simply ask them questions and really get them to think about eternity and why they believe what they believe. God said He's put eternity in the hearts of men. They'll think about it when their head hits the pillow at night, if we've engaged in a good conversation with them and forced them to do some searching. And so I ask myself..."What Sarah Downey, are you willing to do for the kingdom of God today? Are you willing to take the opportunities laid before you? Are you willing to get uncomfortable for the one who was mocked, rejected, and killed for you? Are you willing to have the courage to speak and compassion for the eternity of others today?" All that is in me cries out "Yes Lord!" But my actions displayed a very different attitude. So I asked God to forgive me and for more opportunities...

Later on last week, I was debating in the morning whether to where this new T-shirt I got. It has a set of handcuffs on the front and says "Arrest me. I prayed in school today." I loved it when I first got it, especially with all of the court cases we hear about prayer in school, wanting to change the pledge of allegiance, etc. But I hadn't worn it yet, and I finally asked myself "why?" Maybe I was scared I'd get some strange looks, or that others wouldn't take it the way it was meant, etc. "Who cares?" I finally said to myself. I decided to wear it.

I've been going to Intervarsity Christian Fellowship prayer meetings on Wednesdays and have been blessed by it. Our campus minister, John, is great, and I can really tell he loves the Lord. The main focus for Intervarsity is to be a witness for Christ on campus-which I love. While we were having a discussion, John started talking about a guy he'd been witnessing to on campus, whom he had talked to several times. The last time they talked, the guy told John, "I understand what you're saying...I just can't accept or believe that God would be that loving and forgiving." Wow! This guy was starting to think about the unexplainable love of God that our finite minds can't understand. I felt lead to share some of my experiences and some of the questions I ask people when I'm trying to witness to them. Like, "What do you think happens when we die? What do you believe? How do you know that to be true? Where do you get your information?" It's amazing to me how many people believe so many things, but have no idea where they got those ideas and what the basis is for them. Just because we believe something, doesn't necessarily mean that it's true. It's amazing that people stake their eternity on beliefs that they don't even know to be true or how they got them! I know, I was one of those people. The most important thing to do when in a conversation with people is listen, listen, listen. Too often, we don't want to hear, we just want to speak. That's why I was so upset at a myself for walking away for the opportunity with that guy.

Anyway, Intervarsity went great, as usual. And as I was leaving, I asked John, "Have you ever heard of Mark Cahill?" He said, "You know, that name sounds familiar." I said, "He wrote a book called One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven." And then He said, "Yeah! You know what, a good buddy of mine just gave me that book!" We serve an awesome God, don't we? For some reason, I felt really prompted to ask him about it and here he has a friend who felt prompted to give him a copy! I told him about how powerful and biblical it was and how I've witnessed to more people since I've read it then I have during the entire time of being a believer. I encouraged him to read it, and he sounded very interested and said he would. (www.markcahill.org) Then he thanked me for all that I've brought to the group and hoped I would keep coming. I think he meant all that God had brought to the group through me. :)

Later that day, I'm sitting in an advising appointment with my advisor. We're good friends too-I did research with her when I worked in the department last fall. We were talking about how people have different concepts of God or spiritual beliefs and she made the comment, "People in church are SO judgmental!" I stopped, and said, "I'm so sorry that you've had that experience. I know others have had that experience too, and it really saddens me. If people in the church were really living the way they say they believe, they wouldn't be that way." I didn't really think it was the right time to say much else, since she seemed a little anti-church, but hopefully a seed was planted. She thought for a second and then said, "Yes...right!"

Then I went upstairs to turn in an application to request my senior audit. There were two young women behind the counter in the Dean's office, and the first question out one of their mouths was, "What does your shirt say?" I told them, and then beginning to get a little nervous I said, "It's a joke. You know it's a crime to pray in school these days!" They agreed and both started talking about how they couldn't believe how things had changed, even since they were young. One of the girls asked me if I'd read the e-mail that had the response of Ann Graham Lotz when she was asked where her God was on 9/11. I said I did and it was so powerful. If you haven't read it-find it. Read it. Wow! Anyway, then she started talking about all of the hurricanes, earthquakes, and the tsunami, and how she didn't believe it was all a coincidence. All of the sudden, I remembered that I had some gospel tracts that talked a little bit about that. So I got one out of my purse and handed it to one of the girls and told her it had to do with what we were talking about. She said "thanks!" and the other girl asked me if she could have one too! I said "Of course!" I thanked them for the conversation, and when I left, they were both reading them. The conversation probably wouldn't have even started if they hadn't have asked me about my shirt...no wonder the enemy had me doubting!

Let me say quickly about tracts-I was never really big on them, until I heard testimonies of God using them to plant seeds with people and to bring people to know him through them. Like the story of the girl who found one that someone had slid into her 24 pack of beer that she bought from the grocery store. She was at the end of her rope, suicidal, and kept reading the tract for 3 days before giving her life to the Lord! I know some people may not be as optimistic about tracts, but the Lord really showed me that the gospel on paper is better than no gospel at all! I used to think it was as little weird for people to pass out tracts, and the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "At least they're doing something for my kingdom! At least they're trying, Sarah. Are you?" Can God use a measly piece of paper with a message of the gospel on it? Absolutely! The best tracts I've found don't look like tracts at all! They're at www.livingwaters.com and they're sold at cost. I usually leave them places where people may pick them up and read them...like at pay phones, in bathrooms, stuck in books, magazines, and newspapers, grocery carts, etc. I get so scared sometimes that people will react badly and alot of times I don't get in that conversation and I don't hand out that tract. But in my heart of hearts, I care about where others spend eternity. That's only something that came after I repented and surrendered my own life, after I was able to see what sin had blinded me to for so long. So, God answered my prayer last week. He brought so many other opportunities, and I pray that I responded in a way that was honoring to Him. It's the least I can do. I can never do enough...I'm so grateful for His grace and mercy on a sinner like me.