How Will They Know?

I’ve spent the last few days with a retired Sargent Major of the Army.   He is a nice guy and so engaging.  His emotion just explodes in conversation and is so full of life. 

I had originally met his son five or so years ago, while in Okinawa, and he is much the same way.  The son is probably the funniest person I have ever met.  We have stayed in contact through the years and it is good to be able to associate with them again.

Even though the Dad is so engaging, he is also very crass.  The common language is difficult to get used to as cursing is just as common as any other word.  There is also an odd morality where honesty and loyalty are respected greatly, but stories of the worst types of bars and clubs make it evident that everything else is fair game. 

The difficulty is how to be more than just another nice guy.  I know I am able to develop a friendship with him, and already have, and that I am capable of looking beyond the bad to see the good and then promote his good through encouragement and praise so that we are able to develop as partners in the work to be done.  What I don’t know is how do I extend God’s Spirit to him?  It is this very dynamic of relationships that I find the most difficult.  Do I just ask about God?  Do I ask how Japanese see eternal life?  How do I start this?  I pray the Holy Spirit will reveal the how-to and when-to.  In our conversations, he has revealed how his son’s daughter has had some severe health troubles and has spent years in hospitals.  Perhaps I can ask her name and indicate that I will pray for her.  … I don’t know.

I believe all of us experience this type of conflict.  We feel an urge to say something, but we don’t know what to say or if we know what we’d like to say we aren’t sure how to say it.  We have no training and we don’t, and won’t, do it the way of the Fire and Brimstone method of just telling everyone they are going to hell if they don’t know Jesus – even if it is true.  There just must be a more productive way that is not in direct conflict with who I am, but is a direct outflow of the Spirit within me. 

After the conversation with the Chinese Christian, it is obvious that we American Christians are not trained in this.  We need to learn to be sensitive to opportunity and ready to allow the Spirit to move, otherwise how else will the world know?

"Go and make disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." - Mt 28:19