Daily Archives: July 29, 2009

Last night I dreamed of a trip to the store. Exciting, I know, but wait. It was Wal-mart or Target or some likewise everything-you-want-you-can-get-here store. While browsing the aisles, two gorgeous women approached me. As I envied their red hair and olive skin, their green eyes pleaded with me. Thick Eastern European accents questioned: “Tell us about the day you met God.”

I smiled. “What do you mean?”

“The day you met God. We want to know about it.”

“How do you know I know God? Why are you asking me this?” I glanced around the store nervously, suspiciously.

“Please. Tell us about that day. We heard you talking and we want to know the story.”

As I stood there silent, wondering what I might have said to Rick and the kids (who were now two aisles away) that would have given these women initiative to approach me, the tall enquirers disappeared. In their place stood a shorter, plumper, average-mom looking woman.

“They’re gone,” she said.

“Where did they go? Why are they asking me this? What did I say?”

“Does it matter?” Then she faded away before me, and the two seeking women returned, this time with children of their own, just as beautiful as they.

I started my rehearsed testimony. “My mom believed in God and dragged me to church …”

The women weren’t listening. One child needed a new diaper while another pulled his mother’s hair. I tried to help them find the right light switch for the shelves which had by now transformed into a large wooden countertop and hutch. The women chatted, the children continued being children, and I, just before waking, realized my opportunity had passed.

“But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NET)

One of our assignments in college (remember I attended a Bible university) was to write three versions of our testimony, each a different length for a different time: 5 minutes, 2 minutes and 1 minute. You can always make your “answer” longer, but making it shorter on the spot can be difficult, to say the least. Somehow between that class (ten years ago) and now, I’ve forgotten the importance of brevity. I know it was just a dream, but what if it had been real? I never got to the point! Worse, I stalled and questioned and hesitated. How much clearer could the question have been? “Tell us about the day you met God.” Really? I didn’t know what they wanted? And who cares why they asked; I should have had an answer ready.

I think believers sometimes focus more on verse 16 than 15. The verse immediately after this one (the one quoted above) tells us how to give the answer: with respect and courtesy, gentleness and reverence. How do these civil instructions encourage silence? Somehow, I fear, we’ve translated respect into silence. We don’t want to offend, so we keep our answers to ourselves. We don’t want to scare them off, so we nod our head and say a silent prayer that one day they’ll encounter the truth.

Here’s the ticket, people: WE HAVE THE TRUTH. It’s our job to share it.

Are you ready? Do you know the answer? Do you share it when asked?