PROGRAM W-1734 – Part II
Many of us are very frightened at the prospect of witnessing! Fran is, too, and she’s learned that when we try to witness to someone who does not have open ears, it’s like throwing pearls before pigs. They aren’t ready for a witness and it looks like trash to them. Fran learned some good lessons about listening to Jesus and learning when to say something and when not to. She also learned that when you start down the wrong path, it gets harder and harder to turn around, so the sooner you obey the Lord, the easier it will be.
Today as she arrives at the office, Fran remembers there’s a department meeting. “Oops, I better get into that meeting before I’m late,” she says, as she hurries to the conference room.
It seems the only chair available is right next to Bud, head of operations. Fran doesn’t want to take that seat because she’s not terribly fond of Bud. He’s crude, to put it mildly, and uses profanity a lot, not to mention dirty jokes when he has a chance. Fran has left the room a couple of times when Bud’s conversation got particularly out of line, so he knows she doesn’t care for him too much.
“Oh, Fran, don’t tell me you’re going to sit next to me,” Bud says. “Be careful, you might catch something.” Bud always tries to get to Fran, make her look like a goody-two-shoes or something.
It really bugs Fran and she whispers to Jesus, “Why does this guy always get to me, Lord? He does everything he can to offend me. Why?”
Jesus reminds her of the passage in Corinthians, where Paul wrote that disciples of Jesus have a special aroma—the fragrance of Jesus Christ. To some, it is the aroma of life, to others of death.
Yeah, Fran thinks, but why does he have to humiliate me in front of the whole department? He always does that.
The Holy Spirit reminds her that people were offended by Jesus and his principles. Everyone won’t love you, Fran, Jesus reminds her, but as long as you’re not trying to be offensive, you really have to learn not to take these insults personally. There are people who don’t like the light to shine in their darkness. Besides, Jesus reminds her, underneath Bud’s tough exterior could be a man really hungry to know me and a person who is really hurting.
She still thinks to herself, I just hope he leaves me alone today.
Bud starts in again. “Didn’t know they let you religious people sit next to sinners like me,” Bud says loudly with a big laugh. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll offend your born-again ears?”
Fran starts to seethe inside. Lord, do I have to take this?
Stay calm. Remember, he’s upset with your aroma, Jesus reminds Fran. Measure your words carefully.
Fran starts to tell him it’s not necessary to make fun of her just because she has some principles, to advise him to clean up his act, and to inform him there are other people besides herself who don’t care for Bud’s language. But, thanks to the reminder from Jesus, she says instead, “Well, Bud, I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Actually, it’s not my ears that get offended, it’s my heart.”
“Your heart?” Bud laughs uneasily. “What’d you mean?”
“Well,” Fran replies, “you talk about my closest friend in very derogatory ways. It hurts my heart.”
“Hey, Fran,” Bud is obviously taken back by her response, “you take things too seriously. It’s not that big a deal. Everybody does it, Fran; it’s just a way of talking, you know.”
“Yeah, I know, Bud, but it still bothers me,” Fran says.
While she’s talking, Fran can feel this quiet nudging from Jesus. Why don’t you invite him to lunch, Fran? This is not the best place to get into this discussion.
Invite Bud to lunch, Fran thinks, are you kidding? He’d never go to lunch with me.
Even as she thinks it, she finds herself saying to Bud, “This is probably not the best place to discuss it, but I’d love to continue this conversation. How about lunch?”
Bud looks shocked. “Lunch? You mean, me and you? You sure you could put up with me that long?”
“Yeah,” Fran says, “I’ll even pick up the tab.”
“You’re on,” Bud replies.
Fran notices that the room has gotten rather quiet and everyone has been listening to this exchange.
“Wow,” Fran whispers to Jesus, “I’m glad I didn’t say what I started to say. I was ready to take Bud on and stand up for my rights, Lord. Thanks for stopping me.”
This is a lesson the Lord keeps teaching Fran; she is admittedly a slow learner in this area of giving up her rights. But she’s learning that when she gives her rights over to Jesus, he always gives her something better. She feels the glow of his approving smile.
After the meeting, the morning goes by quickly and Fran’s phone rings about 12:15. It’s Bud and he says, “Hey, if you were just joking about lunch, Fran, I’ll let you off the hook.” His voice is so much softer, Fran hardly recognizes it.
“Are you kidding? You’re on. I’ll meet you in the cafeteria in ten minutes.”
As she starts to get ready to leave, she checks her purse to make sure she has enough money. “You know, Lord, I told Bud this was my treat, but I’m running low on cash and payday is not for another week. Let’s see,” Fran says, “I only have $20. . . Well, I’ll have to brown bag it for the rest of the week, I guess.”
She remembers her pastor’s recent sermon on money. “But the great thing is,” she says to herself, “the money I’m spending on lunch with Bud is an eternal investment. It may make my budget a little tight this week, but I’ve just sent a huge deposit on to heaven.”
Before leaving for lunch, Fran stops to pray quickly. “Lord,” she says, “please give me wisdom and discernment as I talk with Bud. Help me to see him the way you see him. And, Lord, give me your love for him.”
As they sit down with their trays, Bud says to Fran, “Man, I couldn’t believe you were serious about lunch. I thought you hated my guts.”
“Well,” Fran responds, “to tell you the truth, I haven’t been overly fond of you, Bud. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt us to just get to know each other better. Maybe we’d find something to like about each other,” Fran looks at Bud with a grin.
“Yeah, well, I know you don’t like the way I talk but that’s just the way I am, Fran. I’ve always had a foul mouth,” Bud forces a nervous laugh. “That’s the way my old man talked so I guess it runs in the family.”
Talk about his family, Jesus whispers to Fran. He just gave you an open door.
So, following his leading, Fran says, “Does your family live around here, Bud?”
“Yeah, but I don’t see them too much. My old man—well, he’s an alcoholic and mean as the devil when he’s drunk. So, I just stay out of his way,” Bud says rather quietly.
“Sounds like you had it kinda rough growing up,” Fran says.
“Yeah, my dad used to beat all three of us kids when he’d get drunk, if we got in his way. Beat my Mom, too. . .” Bud stops abruptly. “Hey, you didn’t want to hear this, Fran.” He seems embarrassed that he allowed himself to talk about his problems.
“You know, Bud,” Fran says, “I’ve discovered that often behind our exteriors we all have problems and hurts that people never see.”
“You look like you got it all together, Fran,” Bud says.
Fran laughs. “Well, my life has had its share of pain. You know my husband was killed in an accident a few years ago. So, I know something about trouble. But God has stayed close to me and Jesus is truly my best friend. He comforts me and gets me through the rough times.”
“My wife lost her father last year, and she’s still having a rough time,” Bud says.
The conversation continues as they begin to get to know each other and find out what’s underneath the surface.
“Oh, my goodness, we’ve been talking for an hour, Bud. I can’t believe the time flew so fast. We better get back. But listen, I’d really love to have lunch again sometime. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.”
“Yeah, well, it’s okay with me,” Bud replies. “You’re a lot nicer to talk to than those guys I usually eat with. And frankly, I don’t really enjoy all that men-talk stuff like you think I do, Fran.”
“Well, you did great today, Bud. Not one word was inappropriate,” Fran says with a laugh.
“Next time it’s on me, Fran. How about next week, that okay with you?” Bud asks.
“You bet; give me a call.” With that, Fran and Bud part ways to go back to their jobs. As they walk back to her office, Fran says to Jesus, “You know, I actually like Bud. No wonder he puts up such a front, with the home life he had as a kid.”
“And Lord,” she continues, “I think he has a searching heart. He’s open to truth, and I think maybe I’ll have some opportunities to share with him the truth about my relationship with you!”
Effective witnessing has to begin with a heart of love and caring. We have to see people the way God sees them—through his eyes.
Maybe there are some people in your life that need your compassion, people you’ve never looked at through God’s eyes before. However, with a little initiative on your part, you could start to establish a friendship and discover if indeed they have searching hearts, like Bud. I want to encourage you to look at every relationship you have—on the job and elsewhere—as an opportunity. Be willing and open to Jesus as he nudges you to speak a word here or there.