POWER BLOG

Link: http://powerofaith.com

USE WORDS IF NECESSARY

The other day, I dropped my son off at a friends house. Driving back home I noticed this guy walking down the street carrying a gas can. He was probably in his late 20's or early 30's, fairly big (not fat), hair spiked on top, but he basically looked like your typical dude who would be most comfortable with a can of beer in one hand and a TV remote in the other, while watching sports.

I drove around the block, pulled up next to him and said: "Hey! This is probably a stupid question, but, did you run out of gas?" He replied "yes", so I gave him a ride to the gas station. I parked in front of the gas station. He took his gas can and set it at one of the pumps, then went in to pay in advance.

Before he could fill the can, someone pulled up to the pump he had left his can at, so he had to go back in and do it over again. I gave him a ride back to his car, which was at his house. On the way he said that he was partying last night and got really drunk and must have driven home on fumes. He wasn't being rude or anything on purpose, but every other word was "God Damn this" or "God Damn that".

Before I left, he made the comment "Well, I guess this is an indication of what the rest of my day will be like". I replied: "Hey! Your day isn't so bad, after all, someone already stopped and gave you a ride!" He thought about it for a moment then smiled and said: "Yea, I'll pass it along to someone else today".

A couple of days later, my wife and I went to a buffet style restaurant and who do you think was there? You guessed it! (his name was Mike) So I walked up and said hi. He introduced me to his wife and little girl. (a very nice family)

Out of the blue he told me that he helped two other people that day. The funny part about this is, at no time did I introduce myself as "Dan Douglass of Power of Faith Ministries" or even as a preacher period, not to mention that I don't look the part of what people expect a preacher to look like and I wasn't dressed in that role.

The point is, a small act of kindness effected this guys whole day, and at least two other people. Granted, if I were a "Good Christian", I would have thrown him right out of the car at the first "God Damn", and started dousing him with holy water as though putting out a fire. Not to mention, when he said he was drunk the night before, I missed my opportunity to lay a 45 minute sermon on him, thus saving him and being able to add another notch on my religious gun barrel!

I didn't do anything intentionally that day. I just offered some poor guy a ride, because he looked like he needed one. Christians sometimes forget that preaching the gospel rarely requires using words. More often than not, well meaning Christians think they have to point out everyone elses sin's so they can save them.

The truth is, they can't save anyone, I can't save anyone and "you" can't save anyone. Only God can save a person. You can lead a person to God, but you mostly do this with your actions, rarely with words.

The quote: "USE WORDS IF NECESSARY" - Author Unknown~