Just Say "Hi"

Once I heard a very successful missionary talk. In fact he had the entire sermon to speak. Well, we expected something, but not what he told us.

First he was involved in getting youth in a local college interested in Christianity. He did this by going down to college at night and listening to them. Many of them were from other countries and he was interested in what is called cross cultural ministry. To succeed he had to be in their court and know what their issues were. In time there was a breakthrough.

He had a neighbor from a foreign country and the missionary went across the street. Later the man told him "you were the only one who came over." This man was humble about all his achievements.

"Take out a pen," he said with a lift to his voice, "and I will let you know my great secret."

Those who were dozing woke up and scrambled for iPhones or paper. He let us get ready, then he said with a twinkle and a wave. "You just go across the street and say "Hi" !

There was an a bit of disquiet in the listeners. Could it be that simple? Had we ever tried it? What about the person who hadn't said a word to us? What about cultural differences? What about age/sex differences.

It is very easy to be too polite to bother anyone. One day Jesus was sitting by a well thirsty. A Samaritan woman came with her bucket. He asked her for a drink. She was shocked because Jews did not speak to Samaritans. He proceeded anyway and those of you who know the story know what happened.....she discovered living water that satisfied her.

Jesus said "hi" by asking her for water!

A recent Barnard study has just reported that 95 percent of Christians today will go to their death without telling another about Jesus, The Lord. Don't complicate things or delegate to the clergy this job. Your job is to walk across the street and say HELLO!