We walked out of the store after hearing a rather grim story from the shopkeeper who was trying to entertain his shoppers. We walked along the beautiful scenery on the path that led away from the silversmith shop. I wanted to focus on the crashing waves and the peaceful views of the green cliffs, but my mind kept going back to the old man working in the store. He seemed so lost and alone. His stories and the images in his store showed that he was far from God. My heart felt burdened. Realizing it might be the Holy Spirit nudging, I prayed, “Lord, I will go back to the store and share with him about You, but You are going to have to open a way into that conversation because he talks almost nonstop.” I turned around and walked back. As I entered the small shop, the man looked up at me and said, “Hello again. Tell me what do you do for your work?” Well, that was the answer to my prayer. As a supported global worker sent out by an agency to share the hope of Jesus, the answer to his question is a fairly direct path to sharing the Gospel. So I answered and then tried, in between the interruptions, to get to share a little of the hope and peace that my relationship with Jesus gives me. 

There isn’t a miraculous ending to this story…at least not one that I know of on this side of eternity. I left that conversation a little discouraged. He wasn’t interested in knowing more about the Lord. He didn’t understand why I would take the time to talk to him about this topic, so he assumed that I had a certain “quota” to make, and he just so happened to be the one who asked the question. I tried to explain that wasn’t the situation. As I walked out of the shop, I thought about why I do take the opportunity to share about Jesus. 

I think for me the answer is compassion. God has given me a Holy Spirit inspired compassion for the spiritually lost. I care because my Father cares. As a follower of Jesus, He instills in me His values. That’s why I do what I do. So I am going to keep sharing. God provided a way to share and I will trust Him with the results of that conversation. I have a painted post card from the shopkeeper’s store next to my desk. I pray for him and his salvation each time I think of him. Who knows, maybe I am the only one praying for him. 

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15