Sometimes people are grouchy. Irritable. Other times, they just don’t want to be bothered. Still, I have to remember that Jesus loves them too…

I have a love/hate relationship with Whole Foods Market. I get irked by the trendy, New-Age, Buddhisty, cooler-than-you ethos and the “dollar more than other stores” pricing scheme. I have to admit though, that they have the best chocolate peanut butter maltballs around and a pretty fair price on firm tofu. So, I endure the Blue State attitude and lotus position mindset when I go through the check-out line. Besides, it’s a lot of fun to talk about Christ with a Politically Correct employee like Elvira.

“Hi Elvira, what’s new?” I asked.

“I’m good,” she replied with a great lack of enthusiasm. “How are you?”

“Good. What’s new?” I repeated.

“Things are okay.”

“You know what’s new? God’s mercies are new every morning if you believe in Jesus Christ.”

“I believe in a Higher Power,” Elvira said matter-of-factly.

“Oh? Who is it?”

“It’s personal.”

Being a bit perceptive, I could tell she didn’t want to further this conversation, but I was not ready to give up. “Is he real? Does he have a name?”

Just then, a bagger person named Amber, walked up and joined the conversation. “I believe that everyone has their own beliefs about God and they all lead to the same place.”

“Jesus said that He was the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. That’s pretty narrow don’t you think?” I explained.

With a deafening finality, Amber declared, “I don’t want to get into it!”

Wham! Slam! The fat lady sang. Done. The End.

I walked away and felt like I was being laughed at…again.

Probably not.

*****

Why do I do this? What value is there in talking about Jesus everyday with strangers? Especially when it seems there are so few converts?

You never know who is going to listen and how they might respond someday. I scatter seeds, and sometimes water but God makes it grow. “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1Cor. 3:6-7) At some point in time, I trust that the Lord will use my words to spur someone on to faith in Him.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14-15)

That’s why I do it