Today at lunch, God opened up a door to share with my new coworker, the answer to the hope that is within me. It started with a conversation about my new job, learning how to work with new personalities, etc. That somehow morphed into a discussion about where I live, where I go to church and how I ended up there.
My coworker is not a Christian, does not claim to be, and from what I assess, is who I was 5 years ago - skeptical about a belief that in many ways seems "too good to be true." I remember telling Rick 5 years ago that the church family he was describing to me didn't exist, but if it did, that must truly be the greatest place on earth. But that I didn't believe it existed at all. My coworker's in that place today.
She seems to be open to hearing what I have to say, out of a genuine desire to get to know who I am. What an opportunity to share with her who my Jesus is.
So, I was able to start the conversation about what true genuine Christ-like love looks like - it looks like something we don't often see from "church-goers" - it looks like a transformation of what a person values in their life - it looks like loving the unloveable, caring more for their souls than the outward appearance (with an understanding that the outward appearance often reflects the inner man), disagreeing with someone's actions but not judging the person.
I didn't quite express it in those terms, but I shared with her what an impact my friends at Sovereign Grace Church have had on my hopeless life. My intent was to start building a relationship, start sharing some of what God has done in me, and when she mentioned that "I've really pulled myself up by my bootstraps" attempting humbly (though not fully understood) that my life is just an example of God's amazing grace at work.
She accurately mentioned that "you can't just change yourself - its important to have other people around you helping you see the truth." How true that statement is. I shared with her that apart from God's grace at work in and through my friends, I can confidently say I would not be today where I am now.
I think today's conversation was the first of many. I am grateful for my friends. I am indebted to the change that God has brought about as a result of their faithful witness to me - through their faithful living out of humble orthodoxy. By God's grace, I desire to live that same witness out before my coworker and friend. I pray that God opens her eyes, that perhaps she comes to church in a few weeks when I am going to be baptized.
I haven't yet asked if she would like to come -I pray that God would deepen the friendship, that He would support this bridge so that one day I will be able to carry across the truth of my Friend that died on a tree so many years ago.
I pray that God would continue to provide opportunities like today, when my union with Christ flowed as an easy topic of conversation. Looking back on lunch, wow... His grace was evident. I did not fear to share with her, the words flowed off my tongue with excitement about who my friends (and who my Greatest Friend) are. How sweet to see if the God who pursued me through the lives of my friends, would use me and begin (or possibly continue?!) to pursue my coworker. I pray that the Hound of Heaven would go hunting again, that the Shepherd would seek out yet another lost sheep, and that He would passionately and personally pursue her through His love, as displayed most magnificently on the Cross.