It isn’t all fun and games out there when I try and share my faith. Sometimes people get really nasty. Sometimes things go completely awry. Sometimes there’s real persecution…

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)

I asked a lettuce vendor at the Farmer’s Market if she would go to heaven or hell when she died. A lady overheard me and said, “Oh no, not here at the market…” Ouch!

“…if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” (1Peter 3:14)

At The Spot restaurant, the cashier would not admit that she was a liar and a thief. She then asked me if this was the gospel. “Yes,” I answered, “Do you still want to hear it?” “I’m working,” she replied huffily. Oooooo!

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.” (Phillipians 1:29)

The woman with the obvious facelift at Trader Joe’s shook her head in disgust and threw my gospel tract back at me when I confronted her with eternity.

“For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. (1 Peter 2:19)

An Indian sales guy at Fry’s Electronics preferred hell “because my friends will be there,” then abandoned my order (and his commission) when I tried to tell him about the Savior. I convinced him to come back, but his computer crashed and he ran away again. I told the second sales guy about the cross and was interrupted by his boss, who informed me that I couldn’t talk about religion to his employees. On the way out of the store, I shared with a third salesperson.

“[The religious leaders] called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.” (Acts 5:40)

As I was witnessing to two men, a girl passed by and hissed, “God thinks you’re an idiot!”

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24)

Oh. Did I mention that people have given me some really mean looks too?