Witnessing 

There was a barber who thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So the next morning when the sun came up, and the barber got up out of bed, he said, “Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door."  Soon after he opened his shop the first man came in and said, “I want a shave!" The barber said, "Sure, just sit in the seat and I'll be with you in a moment." The barber went in the back and prayed a quick desperate prayer saying, "God, the first customer came in and I'm going to witness to him. So please give me the wisdom to know just the right thing to say to him. Amen."  Then quickly the barber came out with his razor knife in one hand and a Bible in the other while saying, "Good morning sir. I have a question for you......... Are you ready to die?"  Perhaps, on another occasion, while not having a big razor in his hand, the question he put would have gotten a better response.

My eldest sister and her late husband, used to pastor a church in Golborne, near Wigan, in England. One night, very late on, she came out of the church to catch the last bus home. It was winter and very dark. She noticed a man sheltering in the bus stop. He looked a bit shifty. Being on her own, and no one else there, she felt a little anxious. So, she decided to witness to him.  She told me, I opened my mouth and out came these words, “Sir, do you know that you were born in sin and shaped in iniquity?” This of course is a statement taken from Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  Now, you would have to admit, that would hardly be the first thing you would think of to say to a stranger, when striking up a conversation about Christ. The man was totally shocked. But lo and behold, he turned and said to her, “How did you know that. How did you know I was an illegitimate child, who told you that?”  From that moment on she had his undivided attention. By the time her bus came she had fully shared the Gospel with him.

A Funeral Director once told me about a gentleman who made an appointment to see him about making arrangements for his own funeral.   He wasn’t in ill health or just about to die, but just wanted to plan well in advance. After the gentleman had fully discussed the arrangements, and was satisfied all was in order, he got up to leave. When he reached the door, the Funeral Director, who was a believer, said to him, “Sir, it is good and commendable that you have made provision for your body in this life. But, may I ask you, what provision have you made for your soul in the next life?”  And so for the next fifteen minutes he had his undivided attention to share the Gospel message. 

It’s amazing the opportunities that may come our way, if we are willing to witness. 

- Pastor David Goudy