I Don't Want Anyone Telling Me What To Do

 I got to McGratton park early on a bitterly cold Monday night. I saw one guy skating alone. I bundled up in my coat and prayerfully approached him wondering how to break the ice in our conversation. I told him I needed his help. He immediately gave me his full attention. I explained who I was and that we were going to give away a skateboard in a few weeks at a Christmas gathering in the park. I asked for his help in what a good skateboard is, where to get one, and how much it would cost. 

He eagerly launched into a wealth of information. He is passionate about skating. Even on a bone chilling cold night. This opened the door for me to share Jesus with him. I will call this young man Don. That is not his real name. I asked Don what He thought about the after life. His answer surprised me. Don stated, "When you die, you go in the dirt and become fuel and energy for the trees and the grass." 

I asked what he thought about Heaven and Hell. He replied, "Those things just scare people. I like to think that I am right."

From that point, we talked about the gospel message. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  Don admitted that he had sinned. He seemed clued in. Patiently listening to an old stranger instead of skating. I could tell he really digested these spiritual truths. Then suddenly, it all changed. 

I talked to him about getting saved and making Jesus Lord of his life. I explained it like Jesus sitting in the driver's seat and Don sitting in the passenger  seat with Jesus directing his life. That is when he commented, "I don't want anyone telling me what to do." 

I tried to explain that Jesus loved him and only wanted what would be best for him. Don wanted no part of it. With that he politely excused himself  and started skating again. 

Another guy rode up on a bicycle. I will call him George. Again I struck up a conversation wit George that ended up in a gospel presentation. George has had a hard time. He got incarcerated in a state prison for a felony. He did not share what felony he committed. He just commented that he hung around the wrong people doing the wrong things and got caught. 

George hung around for over an hour. Allan and Connie bought pizza from little Caesars. David Floyd came for his first visit to the park Monday night as well. George looked pretty cold. I had a pair of gloves in my pocket and gave them to him for his ride home of several blocks. George talked with us until I could see Connie visibly shaking from the cold. The rest of tried to keep moving to fight off the cold but it did not work too well. The chill sunk into our bones. George only had on a thin sweat shirt. He kept saying he felt fine, but he did eventually slip on the gloves. 

George is confused. He grew up Catholic. Somewhere he got introduced to the Bible and reads it often. He tries to be good and not break the Ten Commandments. He understands sinners go to hell. George does not understand the sufficiency of Jesus' death on the cross. He thinks he will earn God's approval by doing good deeds. Helping others. Being a kind person. 

George is also out of work. He has an interview coming up. We asked if we could pray for him about that interview which he agreed to, and we prayed there. 

 We had two deacons and one of their wives at the park loving on skaters. None of knows anything about skating. A young couple played soccer on the field adjacent to the skate park. They were invited for pizza and came to eat. The wife spoke little English. The husband was more fluent, but I felt the language barrier hindered in a gospel witness. 

We have gone out to the park for a month now. Not once, have we seen the same people there twice. As the weather turns colder, the skaters are more scarce. I also wonder if word is getting out that a bunch of old people talking about Jesus keep showing up at the park on Monday nights. 

In a few weeks, we hope to hold a Christmas party of sorts when we will give away a free skateboard. All for a hook to get people there to hear about Jesus. I dream of a day when we our credibility will increase and they will trust us. I pray for the day when God will allow us to start a Bible study. I dream of the day when we will see our first skater saved. I doubt they will feel comfortable in coming to Spring Creek. I might baptize them in a horse trough at the park. I really do not know where this will lead. I only know God called us to go and show skaters that He loves them.