An Open Bible

When I started college, I was given a personality test (Myers-Briggs) to help me determine the correct career for my personality. I scored as an ENFJ which means I love to be with people. I remember the top 3 jobs recommended for me were… politician, comedian, or preacher (guess I was made for this…).

That being said, I love being around people (the more people the better). This is why during a normal work week, you may have trouble finding me at the office. In fact, I write most of my sermons at the “stop sign of Texas”… Dairy Queen. It’s not because I love the smell of grease, find comfort in the chairs, or even that I like to have fellowship with all the flies… No, the reason I go to DQ for work is that I know people will be around. I welcome the distractions of being around people. Hearing stories, watching families, and sympathizing with frazzled workers.

Yesterday was no different. I went to the DQ to get a drink and work on my sermon and class for next Sunday. After being there awhile, a friendly older couple sat down at the table next to me. Before too long, the man came over to my table and asked… “are you a youth minister? I couldn’t help but notice your open Bible.”

I told him that I was a preacher, and with excitement he asked “where?”. From there we launched into a wonderful conversation.

The more this man talked, the more I liked him. He had enthusiasm… he had spunk… and he was a wonderful conversationalist. I learned that this man served as a Chaplin in the 82nd Airborne. He dropped on Normandy beach during D-day… later he left military service as a Colonel. He had studied Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic at a university in Jerusalem… also acquiring a Doctorate of Divinity. He speaks 7 languages fluently. Sings… plays guitar… and has a personal mission to encourage others.

And as enjoyable as each of these elements of conversation were… the best part was when we turned to discussing the scriptures. This was a man with vast knowledge, education, and experience. We talked about what the unity of believers means… what it should look like… and agreed that if Jesus and the disciples were to view our “denominations” and “divisions” today, they would be sad saying “look how divided they are”.

We talked about how fast the Christian faith is growing in Africa, and so much of the rest of the world… but here in (Christian) America how Christianity seems to be falling apart. We discussed ideas on how to reverse this trend (and even why it happened in the first place)… Again, discussing the need for unity and love.

After more talk about the Bible, he ended by reminding me of the mission of the Church… and encouraged me to preach the word.

What an encouraging man this was… What a great conversation… And it was all sparked because I had an open Bible on my table.

Thank you God for the little blessings that come from being in Your Word, wherever we may be…