Before we had the ability to cut off calls from telemarketers, how often have we made that statement? Typically we see these calls as a nuisance and do everything we can to avoid them, or at least get off the phone as quickly as possible when we do get them. For whatever reason, we never added our name to the “do not call” list - so, we are still free game for every survey under the sun and for anyone wanting to sell time share condo’s in Puerto Villarta.
There was a time when these calls really bothered me; but since I have gone through the Way of the Master evangelism course - I have gained an entirely new perspective. Instead of being interruptions in my busy schedule, (or while I’m watching my beloved Chiefs lose yet another game) they have become opportunities. Jesus likened evangelism to fishing when he said that he would make us “fishers of men”. For those of you that are fishermen (I’m not), you know that most of the time you have to go try and catch the fish: actually making the effort to go to where the fish are and then try to lure them into biting down on a hook that you have disguised with food so that you can pull them in. Typically, fish don’t just jump into your boat or onto the shore so that you can easily put them in the net. Fishing for souls is no different, you usually have to go where the people are and make the effort to draw them into a conversation so that you can set the hook of the gospel and reel them into Christ. Telemarketers are fish that jump into the boat! I don’t call them, they call me. I now view that phone call as God literally hand picking someone for me to share my faith with.
Yesterday I received a phone call from a girl named Esther who said that she was taking a survey for an insurance company and wanted to ask me a few questions. I said yes, and proceeded to answer all of her questions. Before she was able to end the conversation I said, “Now that you have been able to ask me some questions, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” She said, “Of course sir” - what else could she say. I asked if she had a Christian background - she said yes. I asked if she considered herself to be a good person - she said “Oh yes, of course”. I asked if she was familiar with the ten commandments - she said yes. I asked if she thought she had kept the ten commandments - she said yes. We were off and running from there! I had the opportunity to take her through the commandments and show her how she had violated God’s law, and that she was not a good person. I was able to lay out the penalty for breaking God’s law and the way that he has made to escape that punishment. After sharing the gospel (which only took about three or four minutes), I thanked her for her time - and just as I was about to close the conversation she said, “Sir, can I tell you something”. She then began to weep. She went on to tell me through her tears that she had been struggling with some things in her life and that she was so glad that I took the time to talk to her about God. “You don’t know what this means to me”, she said. I asked her if I could pray with her, and she eagerly agreed. After praying for her, she thanked me again and we said goodbye. Wow! It is amazing what God will do when our focus is on his mission - even with a phone call from a telemarketer.
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