The bored young man stood behind the counter, head in his hands. It was Monday on Balboa Island in Newport Beach and business was really slow at the frozen banana stand. I popped my head in the service window and dangled a Million-dollar bill Gospel tract tantalizingly in front of him. “Did you get one of these?” I asked with a cheerful smile.
“I’ve seen them. Aren’t they religious or somethin’.”

“No, they’re not religious,” I replied.

A crackly voice by an adjacent window in the same business countered my reply, “Yes they are religious!”

“Did you read the back?” I asked the young man, ignoring the crackly voice. “There is an important message on the back. C’mere. Take a look.”

The young man hesitated. I waved the bill. “Take a look!”

“We don’t want your religious stuff!” cackled the crackly voice again.

Who was this? I wondered.

The young man took the bill. Not knowing who the crackly voice was and what she would do–was she his boss?–I spoke fast, knowing that I had limited time. I fixed my gaze on Banana Boy and gave my 30 second appeal: “The million-dollar question is on the back which is: “If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven or Hell?”

“I don’t know.”

No crackly voice–yet, and still no customers. “If you’ve ever lied one time or stolen one thing,” I continued, “then God will see you as a lying thief; you will be found guilty on Judgment Day and end up in Hell. But God sent his Son Jesus to die on a cross for all your sins if you repent and trust in Him. Thanks for listening.”

I backed away from the service window and started to walk away when I heard the loud crackly voice shout, “Thanks for the sermon!”