The King's Invitation

a bad church experience

kingsinvitation | July 31, 2008 09:11

I was running late for work a few days ago, when I saw a car on the shoulder of the highway with the hazard lights flashing.

As I got closer I noticed a man trying to flag someone down, but everyone was passing him by. I pulled off behind his car, and asked if I could help. He said, “We were headed to the lake, but we ran out of gas before we could make it to the station. Can you give me a lift?”

Of course, this would happen when I’m already late for work. I said, “Hop in.”

He shouted something to the people over in his car, picked up a gas can, and sat down in the front seat. “Jim.”

We shook hands. “Randall”.

“I really appreciate this,” he said.

“No problem,” I replied, and we pulled away from the shoulder and into traffic. We drove for a few moments without speaking. I was listening to a local church service on the radio, and the preacher was talking about grace and forgiveness.

He said, “You must be on your way to church.”

“Work.”

“On a Sunday? Man that sucks.”

I nodded in agreement. “I’d much rather be at service.”

He looked out the window. “You believe all that stuff?”

“You mean that Jesus died so our sins could be forgiven? Yes, I believe … don’t you?”

“We can get some gas here,” he said, pointing to a store up ahead.

I pulled up in front of the place, and he said, “If you can give me a ride back, I’ll pay you.”

“I’ll take you back,” I smiled, "but no charge." While Jim was getting gas, I prayed God would give me what He wanted me to say. In a few minutes we were headed back to his car.

When we were about half way back, he said, “I tried that church stuff once.”

I waited.

“Some of the people there were snobs. I could tell they thought they were better than me. Everybody was looking and whispering. After it was over, nobody there even came up and talked to us, not even the preacher. It’s just not for me.”

“I ate some barbeque down in New Orleans one time,” I said.

He looked at me like I was crazy.

I smiled and continued, “Got sick as a dog. Food poisoning. Spent two days in the hospital. It was a really bad experience.”

Jim still looked puzzled.

“But even though I had a bad experience with food, I didn’t stop eating. I just didn’t eat at that place anymore.”

He grinned and said, “I get it.”

“The truth is, Jim, God loves you. He loves your family. And He wants all of you to spend eternity in Heaven with Him.”

He was quiet as we pulled up behind his car. I asked, “Do you have a bible, Jim?”

“I think we have one somewhere.”

I reached into a box on the back seat and pulled out a booklet of the gospel of John. “While you’re at the lake today, try reading this.”

He took it and quickly stuck it into his shirt pocket. “Thanks for the lift.” And got out with his can of gas.

As I pulled back onto the highway, I thanked God for the opportunity. I drove to work feeling I had done what I was supposed to do. Maybe I could have done it better, but the outcome is up to God… and Jim.

Take the church to someone this week – you’ll both benefit.

King’s Invitation Ministries

http://ministry-webs.com/ministry/kingsinvitation/index.html