Our church has been studying and implementing Ray Comfort's evangelism method, The Way of the Master. Ray uses an unconventional, radical and rare approach to sharing the gospel.He tells the truth.
That's my segue for the following conversation that I heard at the pool yesterday. It involved my 5-year old son and his new 7-year old friend. It went something like this...New kid: Hey there! My name is Reed! What's your name? How old are you? Where do you live? Where is your mom? Do you like raisins? Do you want to play with me? Can I dump sand on your head? I can jump like Spider-Man! I need to go to the bathroom! Do you want this nickel?
(This kid is obviously gonna give my boy a run for his money in the *conversation* department)Samuel: Um. My name is Sammer (how he pronounces Samuel).
New kid: Sam?
Samuel: Um. Yes.
New kid: Well, Sam. My dad died. I mean my dad's dad died. I mean my grandpa died. Did you know that? Did you know about that? Did you know that I have been at the funeral store...I mean funeral home all day? We went to the funeral and did you know that they put them under the dirt.
(I let out a little "yikes" from the mom corner...keep in mind I am caring for the baby just on the other side of a screened-in porch area, where I could see and hear, but I don't want my presence to be known, cause I'm.....eavesdropping.....shhhh....)
New kid: Did you know that when they put them in the dirt they put them in a box first? They don't just put them in the dirt (very matter-of-fact). First, they put them in the box, then they dig a giant hole, then they put the box in the hole, and cover it up. That's it.
***Samuel (who has been drooling during this portion of the conversation waiting anxiously for a chance to interject his minute knowledge of funerals, coffins, and all kinds of other assorted things related to the deceased) finally gets his chance.
Samuel: YEAH! OH YEAH! I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT! After they are done, they put the stones on top. The stone says, "I don't live here anymore. I live under the ground."
Hmm... I guess my avoidance of this topic may have led to a few misunderstandings.
But.
Here's where it gets juicy.
Samuel: Hey kid? (obviously, not good with name retention) Are you a good kid? Or.....
Are you a bad kid?
New kid: OH! I am a good kid. I am a real good kid.
Samuel: Well. Do you sin? Do you sin or do you obey? Do you obey your mom & dad? Do you obey GOD?
New kid: OH, I obey! I obey God!
Samuel: Well. Do you know about heaven? Do you know there is heaven and hell? Are you going to heaven OR hell?
(At this point, I am hardly breathing because I am shocked, blessed, impressed, and scared to death)
New kid: Yes. I know about that! I know about heaven! I am going to heaven!
But.
We don't say "hell".
Bullet Points:
- It doesn't matter where you are....your age....or your biblical knowledge.You can still testify.
- Explaining the burial process to children is difficult and weird.
- Not saying "hell" or having an unbelief regarding it's existence, changes nothing.
- God's grace changes everything.
Amen.
4 comments:
That post gave me a laugh, kids are great! Rich and I are HUGE Way of the Master fans- we have even taught the course to others! This year for our anniversary, we are going to Atlanta for the Way of the Master Convention with Comfort, Cameron, and Friel- you should go (we could meet each other). Yes, I know, what kind of anniversay is that? But hey we're together and we're focusing on Jesus- what could be better?
That.IS.awesome.
And I love you because I would have been dropping eaves, too.
I loved reading this! May Sammer never lose his boldness!
What a sweetheart!
I read this post to Rich- he was very impressed. It's obvious what your son sees and hears at home. Samuel may be a great evangelist one day thanks to godly parents!
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