A Ready Answer

I had a good company position, that is until the firm underwent a major reorganisation.  It seemed like all the jobs were tossed into the air and the way they fell to earth left me wondering where I fitted in. I couldn’t see the way forward, but stood my ground and eventually I  was transferred to a different, lower paid job in another city.

My main concern for the first few weeks at least, was to ‘get my feet under the desk’, keep my head down and apply myself to my new role and whole range of working relationships. For the first time in many years I was back in a large open plan office, which took some getting used to. To be truthful I found it a bit humbling. The man at the desk next to  me had a lot to say. You could say he was a ‘loud mouth’ and rude with it. However I liked him and we had a few interesting conversations, as you do. It wasn’t long before  he had worked out that I was a Christian, so late one afternoon he stated in a loud voice, for all the office to hear, “I bet being a Christian isn’t  as good as sex!”

I could sense all ears were straining to hear my reply to this ‘humorous’ taunt, but I was stumped, so made some holding remark and got on with my work. This troubled me because I felt I should have had some instant reply. I thought it over at home and next morning I asked him into a side room where I gave him my heartfelt answer, speaking of the real hope within me. Even now, I have no idea how he received this, but when the day came for me to finally depart, he brought in a magnificent strawberry fruit cake his wife had made.

I still have a longing to share with others the tremendous hope there is in Jesus, but I don’t want to try and answer questions that are not being asked. That’s a waste of time. There is a time and place and always that is God’s choice. The ‘question’ usually comes when and where we least expect and often upsets our own ‘important’ agenda. But if we walk in tune with Father and speak from the heart, we will have done all we need to do.

At times we may feel foolish in our simplicity, but that’s OK so long as we are Christ’s fool.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1Peter 3:15 New International Version