Topic: Light (Matthew 5:14-16)
As newsman Clarence W. Hall followed American troops through Okinawa in 1945, he and his jeep driver came upon a small town that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian community. He wrote, "We had seen other Okinawan villages... down at the heels and despairing; by contrast, this one shone like a diamond in a dung heap. Everywhere we were greeted by smiles and dignified bows. Proudly the old men showed us their spotless homes, their terraced fields... their storehouses and granaries, their prized sugar mill."
Hall said that he saw no jails and no drunkenness, and that divorce was unknown in this village. He was told that an American missionary had come there some 30 years earlier. While he was in the village, he had led two elderly townspeople to Christ and left them with a Japanese Bible. These new believers studied the Scriptures and started leading their fellow villagers to Jesus. Hall’s jeep driver said he was amazed at the difference between this village and the others around it. He remarked, "So this is what comes out of only a Bible and a couple of old guys who wanted to live like Jesus."
Mark Johnson, Assistant Professor of Evangelism and Pastoral Ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, goes to the busy franchised grocery store next door to the seminary every day. On purpose…The store manager and employees call him “Pastor” as he ministers and shares the gospel…Each trip begins with a prayer that God will use him in whatever way He wants, knowing somedays no opportunity may come. He may call just to get bananas. It is that simple. One day, Johnson decided his trip to the store was simply to buy a new pair of socks for his son but God had other plans. It turned into a 15-20 minute conversation with someone who was contemplating suicide. Johnson exclaimed, “If I hadn’t gone to get socks that day, it could have been a different outcome… God has given us an easy mission field that doesn’t take a plane ticket. You don’t have to catch a bus to get there,” Johnson said. “He’s not asking you to do anything but shop. Just go get socks. Be a willing vessel for Him.”
(Read more about this in the NOBTS magazine “Vision” page 6-7. Here is the link https://issuu.com/54852/docs/visionsp23 )
New Life family, we have a great opportunity to be Light in the midst of the darkness. The Putnam County Fair (July 21-28) is a time when the county comes to one place and where Light is needed. May those who come see New Life as a reflection of God’s Light. Be praying for God to send you to the fair not for a funnel cake but to have gospel conversations.
See you Sunday,
Dr. Scott Kallem