With hitch-hiking out of vogue (see last week’s post) I have discovered more examples of captive audiences.  A few years ago we received a small check from our life insurance company for a class action settlement of a lawsuit.  I was not sure how we were qualified to receive the check so I called the agent to arrange a meet.  Eric did a good job of answering the questions I had about the class action suit and using our life insurance policies and then he wanted to ask me questions, “to update my profile.”

First up was “What is your goal in life?”  I have been waiting years for someone to ask me that and I was ready.  “My goal is to go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.”  I think I heard this answer some year at Ichthus, the weekend long rock concert for high school youth groups.

The next question was teed up just right: “Can you expand on that?”  “Yes.  I will have to tell you good news.”     And I was off and running.   Eric did not become a believer that day, but he did listen patiently to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

When my Dad was in the nursing home near St Louis, they would have a Bible study on Friday mornings, and the wonderful activities lady was determined to get Dad involved.  On weekends that I came to visit, I would take along a “talk” and give it to the group. Usually the messages were from Sunday school lessons I had done or Kevin sermon outlines.  Dad enjoyed the “that’s Bill’s son” compliments and seemed to appreciate the talks. 

Those opportunities taught me to stay humble and that God is in charge of conversions.  One Saturday morning all my siblings were in town, and I was scheduled to do a sermon Sunday night back in Michigan.  I asked if they would let me practice the sermon on them, and they kindly agreed to listen and delay watching one of the 1940s Turner Channel movies Dad was fond of.

Well I thought I did a great job.  The gospel message was included.  There was wisdom from James 5 and examples of wisdom in action following Jesus in Luke 8. At the end, applause broke out from my brother and sisters.  The humble part was when Dad said, “That was great. Now can you get me to the bathroom because I think I peed my pants.”