A "Chance" Conversation at the P.O.

I continue to be amazed at how God orchestrates opportunities to share the Gospel! And, today’s conversation with Joe was another demonstration that God works “both sides of the equation.”

I was supposed to have gone to the post office yesterday, but was delayed for a variety of reasons. And I was going to go this afternoon but was prompted to go early given the fact that most post offices (according to usps.com) were to close by noon. So…off I went to mail out several more copies of Engage!

My errand completed, I exited the post office only to come “face-to-face”…well…”face-to-body” with a baby blue, 1967 Chevrolet Firebird convertible (with white interior) sporting a 365 Hp, dual-barrel carburetor (400 cid) engine. Wow! Did that ever bring back memories! And she was in mint condition—I mean “right-off-the-new-car-salesroom-floor” condition! (O.K. For those of you who never saw the light of day in ’67, you have no idea what you missed with the advent of the “muscle cars!”)

Within a minute or two, a 40-something year old guy appeared. Hoping him to be the owner, I queried, “So, are you the proud owner?”

“Yes, and I bought it just like it is!” he rebounded, obviously with the pride of one who has recently found a real treasure.

We conversed for a few minutes, talking about the ins and outs of the automobile, even taking a peak at what was under the hood. And, was it something!

As our conversation began to wind down, I introduced myself. (O.K. That may sound a bit strange to the ladies, but business must come first especially when cars are involved!) “I’m Carmen Mayell. What’s your name?”

“I’m Joe,” he responded.

By this point, of course, I am beginning to wonder if the tract I had put in my pocket earlier might be for Joe. So, I wanted to continue the conversation…at least to the point of being able to explore his interest with my two questions.

“So, Joe, do you live in Delray?” I asked.

“I live in Ocean Ridge, but have a home in Delray as well,” came his reply. “So, I guess I’m a part of the ‘hood!’” Joe was an affable guy who, obviously, had excess financial reserves yet handled his successes graciously.

By this point Joe had gotten back into the Firebird, resting his arm on the door frame, convertible top down. I knew the time to ask the two questions was now or never.

“Joe, you know, I have something I would like to give you.” With that, I pulled the tract (Connecting with God, Campus Crusade for Christ) out of pocket and handed it to him. “I would like to suggest there are two key questions in life everyone must answer—‘Is there a God?’ and, if so, “Is He knowable—can one really have contact and communication with Him?’ What do you think?”

His immediate response really surprised me! And the reason for his response even more.

“Yes, I know there’s a God! I’ll tell you why.” Joe went on to explain that one of his very good friends had died from cancer. Shortly before his death, Joe visited his friend admitting he wasn’t even sure if there was a hereafter. “So, I told him that, if he died, to be sure and somehow let me know if there really is something after this life.”

I don’t know the time frame, but evidently not too long after the death of his friend Joe was at a party where there was a lady medium of sorts. Joe continued to explain why he knew there was a God. “So, I went up to this lady and asked her if she had any messages for me. I didn’t give her any information, just asked her the question! She told me that there was someone who was attempting to make contact with me; someone like your father, even though your father is still alive. It is someone whom you asked to contact you.”

Now, I am not a supporter of clairvoyants or mediums of any sort—largely because I believe strongly in the activity of demonic activity. Nor do I think mediums have supernatural knowledge, but clearly Satan does possess super-human knowledge and can choose to use it in a way to attract people to him and away from God.

But I also believe in a Sovereign God who, in His infinite wisdom, can even take Satanic activity (whether or not this woman was an emissary of Satan or simply a charlatan, I know not—all I know is that Joe had become convinced in the existence of a God because of what happened) and use it for His purposes, even His glory. And such I pray is the case with Joe.

With Joe’s affirmation of belief in God, and given his lack of background other than the purported affirmation of the hereafter by his dead friend, I was fairly certain Joe would be equally uncertain whether God was knowable or not (my second question). Therefore, I continued by asking my “final” question: “Joe, have you ever examined the claims of Jesus and the role He claimed to play in knowing God?”

“No,” came Joe’s unusual-to-form but simple response.

Pointing to the tract, I explained “That is what this is about. And, just so you know I don’t take this lightly, if you were with me the last 5 minutes of my life, this is what we would talk about.” With that, I wrote my name and phone number on the tract and handed it to Joe with the invitation that if he ever wanted to discuss this further that I would love to take him to lunch to do so.

Joe expressed his appreciation (sincerely, I do believe) and, with that, we parted. As he started up Firebird, the unmistakable roar of the V-8 resounded. I looked over his way proclaiming loudly, “Now that’s a real engine!” He smiled, gave me the thumbs-up, and drove off.

Won’t you join me in praying for Joe?