The Library

 For months I have driven Brenda to rehab and work. I go to the library waiting for her to get off work to study and to write. Things have changed. When I was a child, we were told to be quiet in the library. If we talked, we did so in hushed whispers. The same was true for high school, college, and seminary. Not in this one. I am barraged with noise. 

Let me say that is no longer the case. Just today, I have heard a toddler throwing multiple temper tantrums. People holding conversations all around me. Seated behind me is a tutor and a student trying to learn math. It has been excruciating trying to write while having to listen to things like square roots and algebraic equations. A real downer. One student left and another is taking her place. Right behind me. There are open spaces with desks and booths all over the place. I was here first. They chose to sit right behind me. I got the opportunity to hear evangelism in action by that tutor. 

I overheard the tutor sharing the gospel with the first student. The student was lost. At one point, I heard her tell the tutor, "If Jesus helps me get math I will believe. I will become a true believer." Later in the conversation when the tutor explained sin, the girl said, "I don't sin." The conversation did not progress about Jesus much past that point. The tutor did say that Jesus came to save us from our sins and not just to help with math. 

The lostness of people around us is overwhelming. Lost people are in every fabric of society. So much of my life can be insulated from lost people as a pastor and working at a Christian school. We can become entrenched in our holy huddles. Jesus did not allow that to happen. Jesus rubbed shoulders with sinners, and they were attracted to Him. We cannot say unbelievers are always attracted to Christians. Many times, they are repulsed from Christians. 

I admire the tutor in the library. She used her platform of teaching math to share the good news of Jesus. Her style was conversational, loving, patient, and far from judgmental. She is keeping the Great Commission according to Matthew 28:19-20. The library has become her mission field. I applaud her efforts. May we all be inspired to follow her example.