Some find it awkward to tell others about their faith walk with Jesus. I understand. I have been like that for years. Something I discovered recently is that maybe I was trying to talk to the wrong people. Maybe I was trying to talk to the people that I wanted to talk with, not the ones God wanted to use me to converse with. Maybe I was talking to those without “ears”.
I went to Walmart recently. Sitting on a park bench in front was a guy wearing a tan, cutoffs, t-shirt and a great smile. As I walked by, he looked up and smiled at me. I thought, “probably gay and kept walking”. The funny thing is he was probably dressed exactly as I would be, had I been sitting on a park bench. Then, you could have thought the same thing about me. Pretty shallow of me, right? But that is not the point…
This guy’s smile was an open invitation to communicate and the bench was wide enough for both of us. I wish I had stopped and asked him, “Why the smile?” Chatting about God may have followed. I will never know.
I did my business in Walmart. Walked out and past the same guy, still smiling and then I began thinking. God, is this the guy for me to talk to? It became an issue of obedience for me and I turned around to go back. He was gone.
Maybe next time, I won’t be quite so dense…. another missed opportunity.
God Spots 
Hey Archie;
That was funny. My buddy the homophobic shallow priest. 🙂
One time I saw a hobo standing in front of a supermarket in Palm Desert.
He was much the way you described this fella. He was also smiling. I was going to pass him by as I had no coin on me for a hand out, but we ended up talking.
He was homeless, carried a knapsack and I saw a bible stuck in it. He was clean, presentable and happy as a loon.
I told him I didn’t have any coin. He said he wasn’t looking for any.
That incident still brings a smile to my face as we spoke for some time and his attitude was infectious.
I was smiling like a loon when I left. 🙂
Hi Archie;
By the way, I appreciated your honesty in this post. Many people think that way, Christian and otherwise, but few would ever admit it.
That is refreshing. 🙂
Hi Archie;
I was just joking when I used the word homophobic.
I couldn’t resist after reading the post. There was no insult intended, but if you read it with my eyes you would see the humor in it as well. 🙂
Archie, we all miss opportunities on occasion. heck, at least you recognized it as an opportunity! Most don’t even do that! Hey, maybe it was an angel? :^)
Thanks Richard.
Ich. In a very complementary fashion, I thought about you when I wrote the title. Peace.