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No calluses required

Connie L. Jones

They rang the doorbell this morning while I was having a quiet time with God. I leaned toward the window and opened the slats of the venetian blinds. I noticed their tailored jackets and shiny briefcases and immediately knew what they were selling.

“Good morning!” I beamed as I opened the door to the two smiling women. Neat how they came right during my time with You, Lord, I thought. The slightly older lady hung back, listening, perhaps just learning how to do this work. The younger one, in her 50s or 60s, began to chat about the freak October snowfall we’d had. Almost in the same breath, she took out her literature and began to talk of the hard times upon us, the confusing prophecies of the Bible, and wasn’t I interested in finding the answers to these mysteries?

I explained that I had a ton of literature helping me and that I was a born-again Christian, taking most of my questions to the ultimate Source.

Her response? “Well, knowing John 3:16 is important, of course, but how many of us actually spend time reading the entire Bible? Have you ever read the Old Testament?” I nodded my head and opened my mouth to reply, but she continued before I had a chance. “It’s full of confusing tales and terrifying accounts of what is about to befall us. You know, we really are living in the end times. . . . ”

As her monologue continued, my brain tried to come up with reasonable arguments. I kept telling my brain that I wasn’t interested in arguing at all. I read my Bible almost every day. I have hidden Your Word in my heart (Psalm 119:11). Of course, she didn’t want to hear the feeble responses that I attempted to sneak past her. She was there to do her work, not really to speak with me. I found it interesting that she thought born-again Christians didn’t know anything past John 3:16. My mind raced with what I could say that would help her understand Christ’s love.

She prattled on with an intensity I wished I had. “The Bible tells of terrifying times, filled with destruction, hardships, floods, fire, earthquakes! And, dearie, we are living in these times right now!”

Behold, I am coming soon (Revelation 22:7). “Yes! Isn’t it exciting?” I responded.

She blinked. “It’s . . . it’s a time of horrible things happening on earth, and our children aren’t safe! A time of complete insecurity!”

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13). “Actually,” I ventured, “I have all the security I need in Jesus Christ.”

At this point, she began to squirm in her worn shoes. I could only imagine how sore her feet must get, walking from house to house for who-knows-how-many hours per day. “Sure, you may feel security for yourself,” she countered, “but I’m talking about what applies to the entire earth, to everybody on it.”

That’s what I’m talking about, too. He can take away the sins of the whole world (John 1:29). Unfortunately, my brain was quicker than my mouth.

“I’ll just leave these articles for you to look at,” she said, hastily pointing her booklets toward me.

“No, thanks. I really don’t need them. But could I pray for you two ladies right now?”

The older one huffed. The younger one sputtered and looked around furtively, as though afraid that someone might have overheard me. “Well, sure, you can keep us in your prayers.” She made a sort of nervous sound and swallowed. “And, of course, you’ll be in ours. But did you know that Daniel, when he was writing his prophecies down, didn’t even know what he was writing? God was guiding his hand, and he had no idea what it all meant. . . . ”

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). “Dear Jesus, thank you for these ladies.” The speaker guffawed and ahemmed, trying to continue, but hesitated to interrupt me. (That in itself was probably half of the problem; maybe no one had thought to pray for them instead of slamming the door in their faces.)

I continued to pray, asking that they would know the security of salvation, and that the Holy Spirit would prod them toward a relationship with the real Lord, the One who gives hope. I prayed in the name of Jesus.

When I was done, I thanked them for their time. They were very quick to leave, and I’m sure I will never see them again. Others who’ve walked up my front steps have never returned either. I’ve always hoped they would come back and update me on their personal quest for salvation.

I turned back to my coffee and Bible, thankful that I have peace and security in troubled times. How sad that for some, such security is always two streets ahead, lurking just out of reach. May our neighbours desperately straining to earn their salvation by knocking on endless doors discover Christ’s peace, and understand that His gift of salvation requires no calluses.

Connie L. Jones is a freelance writer from Saskatoon, Sask.

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Last modified May 3, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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