“I’ve been waiting for a bus forever.” That’s all it took to begin a conversation I wouldn’t soon forget.
He shared his reason for visiting the town. We shared ours.
“So you’re Christians?” he asked.
He shared his beliefs about spirituality. He sees the benefits, especially in a moral sense. He believes in some form of divinity and that we are all on a journey to discover it. As though we are all climbing a mountain to discover what is at the top. We have different paths in getting there – some Hinduism, some Christianity, some Islam, and many others. But we’re all climbing the same mountain, going to the same place.
He grew up in a church with a lot of travesty. He has first-hand seen church leaders take advantage of their position and mistreat the Body in ways that are not justified. Ways that leave scars. What the world needs is love. And there doesn’t seem to be much of that within our religion.
My heart aches. Our Gospel is love. We have what the world needs. But he is right, often we as Christians can miss the very essence of our Gospel.
I share how I too have seen people take the Gospel and make it about themselves rather than God. A place where love is often lost. Where we mold God. Based on our personal definition of right and wrong, our personal idea of what grace covers and what it doesn’t, our personal thoughts on what leads to salvation and what doesn’t. Rather than His. And people are burned by this god in the process.
I shared how the essence of Christianity is that we are all broken and need a Savior for that reason. “Yes,” he responds, “I do believe you’re right in stating we’re all broken.” As if he doesn’t often hear Christians admit brokenness.
He shared how earlier that day he got a strong inkling he was going to have a conversation with someone who would offer insight. Until now, the only person he had talked with was his waitress. And she didn’t really talk.
I smiled real big.
He shared different things he’s walking through and how it’s led him onto a journey of self-discovery. Recently he attended a two-week silent retreat at a monastery. “It’s crazy the things you learn about yourself when there’s no one to talk to for two weeks. The thoughts that go through your head. The divine insight you receive.”
I smile even bigger.
“I know that sounds crazy, but I’m beginning to believe if we take time to listen we can recieve insight from divine places.”
“That doesn’t sound crazy to me at all,” I respond. “Actually, I call that the Holy Spirit.”
“Hmm,” he smiles.
“You know, I love that you shared the inkling you had of meeting someone. And now the divine insight. I want you to know, I don’t believe in coincidences. Therefore, I don’t believe us meeting is one.”
“Neither do I,” he replied.
We sat in silence for a second.
He shared how he believes in divine plans, but he also believes we play a part. I agreed. We discussed the gift of choice which I believe we received through God’s graciousness. But it allows space for people to make decisions that harm both ourselves and others. I shared how I don’t believe God always causes bad things to happen but I do believe He allows them because of that gift of choice.
There were some things he disagreed with. Are causing and allowing the same thing? Would it have been better for God to not give us that freedom but create us as robots instead?
We talked about Gospel Love. I shared how often we as Christians can get stuck in the Old Testament, where fulfillment of the law is required and judgement is based off that. But love is the reason Jesus came. So He could cover us in love instead.
However sometimes we forget to walk in that. Where judgement is based off faith instead of action. That’s where discrimination and hate can enter. Because we get it wrong sometimes. But that isn’t our Gospel. Our Gospel is Love.
I had to leave abruptly. He had written down his name for me to google him. I did. I learned, he doesn’t simply train people in leadership like he said. He is actually a well-renowned author and leadership coach. Subtle.
God is so funny sometimes. To allow your typical 22-year-old girl the opportunity to mark the heart of a man who is leaving a mark on nations. Through a simple conversation, where two people got to share their own beliefs and questions they still had. A conversation I know will stick with me for quite some years. And I can only hope it will do the same for him.
