Not Jehovah's Witnesses?

For the last month we have been going door to door to pray with people in the community, and to offer bible studies to those who are interested. Doing this creates opportunity for some interesting experiences and encounters. Yesterday our friend Henry discovered that if a door was about to be slammed on him, that saying, “I am not a Jehovah’s Witness” would sometimes reopen the door and conversation. However true that may be, it perhaps isn’t the most technically accurate and appropriate statement to use. I find it funny that one of our teacher’s David Asscherick, says that when Jehovah’s Witnesses come to his door, he invites them in and says, I am Jehovah’s Witness too. As Christians we are all God’s witnesses. We have a responsibility to represent the true meaning of the name Christian, that has been secularly warped and blurred into a misconstrued insignificance. Although technically I am Jehovah’s Witness, I don’t readily identify myself as such because of the negative connotation associated with the term. And unlike “Jehovah’s Witness's” I have no problem with non “Jehovah’s Witness's” praying in my presence. 

People are understandably hesitant to have strangers knock at their door, but we have found that most people are friendly, and many are hungry to have someone to talk to and to pray with. 

We prayed with a lady who’s husband is about to die, and is living out his last days in the hospital. She was appreciative of our genuine concern and a loaf of Danelle’s home-made bread. We shared in her tears and attempted to convey, that God cares, and understands her pain.

We knocked on Joe’s door rather hesitantly. He was blaring his music, and it was about time for us to go home, but we went ahead anyways. Joe opened the door and invited us in, he turned down his music and opened up to us. He is a carpenter, he understood that Jesus was a carpenter, he figures that maybe Jesus will have some work for him to do in heaven. He said he that he would maybe be interested in bible studies, we said that we would come back. 

The next time we came back, Joe was again blaring his music, this time it was obvious that he was having a party, we decided to go in anyways. We talked and listened to Joe and his friends who said they wouldn’t tell anyone if we had a few beers. At the end of the conversation just before we were about to leave Joe asked us to pray, we did and we said that we would come back. Joe’s friend Danielle seemed to be especially appreciative and she gave us her number.

The third time we came back there was even more cars than before, Joe was having a garage band concert in his home. We went in and were offered food and were told to make ourselves comfortable. People were just starting to leave when we arrived and eventually there was only about 6 of us left in the home. I had the impression that maybe we should sing a song. Danelle played on the guitar and I sang with her a song called “You said” This was a break through. They told us that we had a gift and that we should play that music more places, so that people could hear. The song moved Joe’s friend Danielle to tears, and a guy named Dave said that he heard 4 part harmony. We weren’t singing any harmony.  

Music is a language and it opened them up to God more than talking about bible verses were able to do. I know that I can’t sing especially well, but I also know that God can use our feeble attempts to accomplish great things. A few days later Danielle called us up to meet up, and we spent all of last Friday singing, praying, and studying the bible with her. She is open, she is hungry, and she says that it wasn’t a coincidence that we met her at Joe’s house; we agree. Please pray for her, she is a seeker and she wants to use her talents to glorify God. She sings with a band in local bars, and she recently told us that she refused to sing a song called “Voodoo Woman” even though her band pressured her to do so. She has convictions, and she desires to grow closer to God. 

Last night we met Tom. He is homeless and an alcoholic. He said he used to be a professional guitarist that played in a blues band. His eyes are deep and penetrative, and it is obvious that he has experienced some things. I asked him what he thought about God, and why God didn’t just destroy the devil...he said its because of free will. It was such a quick and insightful answer that it caught me be surprise and all I could say was, “I agree” I told him that the reason I asked the question was that we were having a meeting on that very topic that night, I invited him but he said he wasn’t interested.   

While I was talking to Tom I was also in periodic conversation with a man named Doug whom I had met before. Doug is smart, philosophical, and he enjoys reading his bible. He is no longer homeless and he seems to be on track. He told me that at one point in his life he made 100,000 dollars a year. I am not sure exactly what happened to cause his fall into poverty, but it is obvious that he is spiritual and finds significance in the bible. I invited him to the meeting as well but he also wasn’t interested. However as we were saying good bye he changed his mind, and decided to come. And just as surprisingly Tom also at the last minute decided to come.

They both enjoyed the meeting and expressed genuine gratitude that we took them. Tom was drunk, but cognizant even in the meeting. He told us that he was sorry that he is an alcoholic. We told him that there is hope, and our friend Neilus was able to share with him his own story of being hospitalized because of his drinking, but that he is now sober because of the bible and the promises in it. We told Tom that we will be praying for him, and that God does answer prayer. 

These are just some of the continuing stories and experiences we are having while we go door to door. There is so much pain in this world, and we see only a small sampling of it. We did a bible study in home where the 12 year old girl we study with saw her mom, and her mom’s boyfriend shot in the house while she was hiding under the covers. God doesn’t just see a sampling, of pain. He sees, and, experiences it all! He promises that He will put an end to it, and there will be a day where there will be no more tears. I am not embarrassed to pray for and give people hope for that day. And in that sense I am not ashamed to be Jehovah's Witness after all... Are you?