Becky From The Democratic Farm Party
By Daniel Nuckols<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
For the past two summers I have drawn caricatures at a couple of county fairs to earn money for college. It is also my chance to do ministry during the summer. I'll hand out tracts and talk to people about God. Two summers ago I had a witnessing encounter with a young woman named Becky. Becky was from the DFL booth, so at first I just debated various issues with her (I love to debate). We were like completely opposite on all of our beliefs. Everything I was for she was against and vice a versa. We had a good time debating; we were not wringing each others necks or anything like that! We were respectful of each other's opinion. I knew she was not saved so all the reasoning in the world could not change her heart on the issue.
 
Through the course of our discussions I was able to swing our conversations over to spiritual matters. I was able to share a complete Gospel message with her. It was quite an experience a couple times I saw tears well up in her eyes especially when I talked about the cross. I don't know what she did with what I told her, all I know is that I planted a seed, and only God can make it grow. Becky however, was probably one of the most self-righteous and bitter individuals you would probably ever meet. She thought that if indeed there was a God, she had done enough good works to get her to heaven. She claimed that she used to be a "Christian." She was also bitter at all Christians, and thought that the whole church was full of hypocrites.
Then she said something to me that I'll never forget… She told me "You know, I used to be just like you… I used to do the Christian "thing" (she viewed Christianity as a religion not a relationship) I used to go to a Christian college, which is probably just as conservative as the college you go to, yet in my whole life I've probably only met 2 or 3 people that have really lived and acted like Christians." "Wow, I thought later… You meant to tell me she went to a Christian college just like mine, and out of over about a thousand of Christians you went to school with, you only met 2 or 3 that actually lived and acted like Christians!"
 
Once, I heard some evangelist say that you should respond to people who bring the hypocrite thing up, by saying that you it isn't fair to judge Jesus by His supposed "followers." Because some people bring up how terrible the crusades were. So I said this to her, "You know you can't judge Jesus by His followers." After I said this though, I knew that wasn't right – people do judge Jesus by those who call themselves Christians. That is why Paul said that we as Christians are ambassadors of Christ. For instance, an ambassador for the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />US represents the United States to other countries.
 
Paul says In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
 
I'm not sharing this to say that I am the best ambassador for Christ, if anyone is guilty of talking the walk, more than walking it, is me. However, I'm sharing this with you to encourage you to represent Christ wherever you are, whether in a Christian college or out in the pagan world somewhere. Because whether you realize it or not people are watching you and judging Christ by the way you live.
 
Check out Dan's site at: www.danspulpit.com