Month 8 in Cambodia began with a busy debrief. As a raised up squad leader, I experienced a new kind of exhausted that was a result of a hectic schedule. The day after debrief ended and all teams were off to their new ministries, I headed to a coffee shop to treat myself to an iced coffee, French toast, and quiet time to read my Bible and to process the week. I sat down at a table near an older white man, ordered my food, and pulled out my bible. I was ready to feel rested and filled up.
As I searched for my earphones to listen to music, the man next to me asked me about my bible. He told me that he has read his bible every day for the last 15 years. I smiled and thought, “Awesome! A fellow believer who has been reading the bible for more than half my life!” I asked him if he was a Christian, and with that question began a bizarre conversation that left me feeling confident in the Lord and who He says He is.
(Just so you can have context and picture this in your head I will describe the man- his name is Mike and he is 57 from New York. He was raised Catholic, but something happened along the way that pushed him away from any “traditional” beliefs. He is a writer and has lived abroad for 12 years. He is divorced. He travels and lives alone.)
When I asked Mike if he was a Christian, he said, “Yes, but not in the way that you probably think.” I asked him to explain.
He said he believes the Bible is all an allegory- a story that has a hidden meaning and can’t be taken as truth at face value. He reads it everyday and then meditates twice a day on what he reads. To Mike, the bible is a tool to understand sun, moon, stars, and everything else floating out in the universe. He believes that the Son is referring to the actual sun in the sky and that God is Sirius, the star around which everything else revolves. When we die, Mike believes we will return to the sky as stars. He seemed to have an answer for everything and could explain by astronomy and astrology.
I know almost nothing of either of those subjects, so I couldn’t argue with his science. The way he explained it all made sense. But I believe that the bible is God’s Word, not just an allegory, and I believe Jesus was a man and the Son of God who walked on this earth. So, I began to ask questions out of curiosity and to discuss and even challenge his way of thinking. I was careful not to come across as argumentative as I offered my own beliefs.
He had an explanation or response to everything I said. He believes he has God figured out. I finally looked at him and I said, “I don’t want my God to be small or a god that can be explained and understood. I need Him to be bigger than that.”
After that Mike backed off for a few minutes, realizing he wasn’t going to convince me. Our conversation shifted and I told him about my family and how special they are to me.
I asked him about his family. Divorced. Two kids. A daughter who is deeply hurt by her dad and a son who won’t speak to him. He’s alone all the time and it hurts. “I have nothing to live for and sometimes I can’t wait for the day I die…”. Tears began to form in his eyes as he told me how lonely he was.
“Mike, what’s your purpose? What is the point in knowing and believing everything you believe?”
“That’s a good question.”
“I hear everything you are saying and have an answer for and I want to respect your right to believe what you want. But if I’m right in what I believe, then you have a lot more to lose than I do if you’re right.
The reason I believe what I do is because Jesus has proven himself in my life. I have a relationship with him and I believe what the Bible tells me. I believe he was a man, he died on the cross to pay for our sins, and he rose again and is alive! I have purpose because I’ve given my life to God to use for His purpose. I have something to live for and something to die for. I am confident in who I am in Christ and I am loved.
Mike, you are loved by God in heaven and there is freedom that He has to offer you. You don’t have to feel lonely or without purpose. Just because you’re 57 doesn’t mean you have run out of chances or time to live differently.”
For the first time since we began talking I feel like he actually heard me. He didn’t offer an opposing view or try to challenge me. He just listened with misty eyes. Then I offered him a deal- I promised him i would meditate that night on everything he shared with me if he would agree to do the same. He laughed and rolled his eyes and said it took ten years for him to get away from the things that I was talking about. “So what’s another 40 minutes?” We shook hands in agreement.
Our conversation lasted almost 3 hours. Mike thanked me for spending time with him and he said that there was something different and special about me (ahem, it’s Jesus). He said it was the first time he didn’t feel lonely in a long time. Then, he packed his things and left.
When I showed up that morning it was for coffee and alone time. Instead I got to have a conversation that made me more confident in what I believe. I felt alive and emptied at the same time. As I sit and reflect I know for sure that it was the Holy Spirit in me meeting Mike for coffee.
Mike, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever read this, but stranger things have happened. If you do, I want you to know that I kept my promise. I meditated for 40 minutes. But I have a confession to make… 6 minutes in I realized that trying to empty my mind as you suggested just wasn’t going to happen because all I wanted to do was pray for you. So I did that instead. I am writing this 2 weeks after our conversation and I have prayed for you everyday. I believe in the power and love of my Lord and Savior and He won’t give up on you. So I’m not going to either. You are loved, Mike, and never alone. Jesus is always right there with you. You have a purpose and it’s to know, love, and be loved by God. Don’t settle for anything less.
Fellow racers and followers of Jesus, be prepared to defend what you believe. Be prepared to give an answer. Read God’s word; believe and do what it says! Be like Paul and preach the gospel with everything you have and never miss an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. We don’t have time to waste. Read 1 Corinthians 9 and get moving!
