There is a lady who works the drive thru at the Starbucks that I frequent. I don’t know her name. She is middle-aged. Thin. Tanned. (I always notice that because I am extremely and annoyingly pale!) Shy. More importantly, she is always…ALWAYS…smiling. This morning I was in line in the drive thru. And while I was waiting for the car in front of me to get their order, I heard this voice in my head say, “Do you know how much Jesus loves you?”. I immediately thought, “Oh no Lord. PLEASE not now!”. I knew those words were meant for the lady at the window. I rarely do that. I just don’t like to do those “drive-by’s”, as I call them. One sentence and you’re done kind of thing. And sometimes, saying stuff like that is a little uncomfortable. Especially when you know others are listening. I pull up to the window and contemplate whether or not I want to look like a weirdo today and I thought, “Joy, get over yourself and just say it!”. So, I get my drink and it’s my last chance and I say, “At the risk of sounding crazy….do you know how much Jesus loves you?”. She has obviously been caught off guard and she looks at me for a second and then says, “I don’t know much.” I sort of lost my speech at this point because I was not expecting such an honest answer. I figured I would get a simple “yes” and it would be over. All I could think to reply was “Well, He does.”.
She says ok and I’m off with my double short cinnamon dolce latte. I pulled away from her and my heart broke. It’s still broken. I keep hearing her words in my head over and over. “I don’t know much. I don’t know much. I don’t know much.” She doesn’t know??!! Has no one told her?! I mean, this woman has spent, at least, 40 to 50 years on this earth….and she doesn’t know? Has no one told this woman about Jesus? In my past experience with these kind of situations, most people say yes in response to the “do you know” question. Most people know the story about Jesus. Lost people know the story of Jesus. I ask that question to the homeless people I come in contact with all the time and every single one of them always say yes. Now…is every single homeless person I’ve talked to saved? Probably not. But they know and have, at least, heard that Jesus loves them. But not this woman. And I am honestly shocked….and sad.
I will see her again and I’m not sure what I will say. Or what she will say. I can only hope and pray that the lines of communication are opened further. I just can’t get over the fact that she doesn’t know….and that we haven’t told her. What are we doing?! How is it that a woman can live 50 years on this earth and not have, at least, heard that Jesus loves her? It amazes me how people will jump at the opportunity to go on a mission trip, but neglect the people in their own country…state…city…neighborhood…office…home. I am in no way insulting people who want to be involved in missions. I am all for missions. Of course, I am! I truly admire people who have a sincere heart to leave the comforts of their family and home for the sake of the lost. But not everyone is called to go to other countries. I am one of them. I have not been called to leave this country for the sake of the gospel. What amazes me more is that I have neglected my duty, and a command, to tell others the Truth. As I stated earlier, it is uncomfortable…and I get embarrassed easily. My cheeks turn red. I lose all ability to speak and it’s just not a pretty sight. It is easier to share the gospel from the stage than it is to share it one on one. But something must change. The church has taken the gospel to nearly every place on this earth, and somehow there are people in the United States of America who have not heard. If we call ourselves Christians, then we have no excuse for this. There is no excuse for a woman within 2 miles of my home…that I see numerous times a week… to have not heard that Jesus loves her. I have no excuse. Everything I say and do should be about Jesus. And it’s not. Every move I make should be about Jesus. And it’s not. Everything I now know about life and death…heaven and hell…the utter emptiness in sin and it’s vain pleasures…should compel me. But it doesn’t. I have become complacent and desensitized to the walking dead.
So, the question is, in light of the things said here, when YOU lay your head down at night, and you are all alone with yourself and with God…is…your…conscience…clear? Mine is most definitely not clear.
I don’t intend to offend, but this is no light matter here. I have to give an account. And you have to give an account. We will all stand before “Him who is seated on the throne”. And although He is full of mercy, and our sins have already been judged, how horrible it would be to have to say to Him who, for our sake, felt the full measure of God’s wrath for sins he did not commit, “Lord, I just didn’t want to be embarrassed”. God help us.
Thank you for reading.
Joy
Mark Virkler’s How to Hear God’s voice has helped me maybe God has something for you in it too. Be Blessed!
http://www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-Voice.htm
Thank you, Joy, for your honesty and for sharing this moment with us.
I think it is important to remember that God is the master of timing. We don’t know what goes on in someone else’s heart or mind, but God does. He chose that moment to use you as His messenger. He chose that moment because the timing was right. Who knows…if you had said the same words to her a week earlier, she might have shut the door with a simple “yes” and a nod. The conversation would have been over and done with. But the Holy Spirit prodded you at the right time, and (insert applause here) you were obedient!! How wonderful! Now you have only to pray, and to trust, God will give you the right words at the right time, and He will use others to touch her life as well. I will pray for the lines of communication to be opened as well, and I’m sure that others will who read your blog. I keep thinking of the lyrics “Give me words to speak, don’t let my spirit sleep, cause I can’t think of anything worth saying…” and I think that is when God moves in us the most. Also remember that “He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. Keep on keeping the faith, Joy, you are a treasure!!
Melanie
i would put forth that you can only share the gospel in a personal way, you can put forth ideas and ideals from a stage but really the good news is hope which is reflected in the eyes and speech
love is seen in little actions (and sometimes big) throughout a day, not in a speech from a stage
you earn the right to be listened to.
our culture has made deities of celebrities so they forget that being seen at work often doesn’t mean you have any special insight per se. “let me see you loving the people around you and i’ll know i can too” children imitate their parents and role models so we have to be sure we are modeling the kinds of roles we want imitated
From all of us in the service industry, some kind words do a lot to refresh our smiles.
Ugh. I wrote a long, well thought out response to this blog, then I somehow clicked a link and it deleted it all!
In a nutshell:
1. You’re right, this is a big problem. What concerns me most is, if I can’t muster the courage to speak up for God, how weak is my faith? And yet, I have a lot of trouble doing just that. I fit nicely into that small category known as “super shy.” I have trouble saying “Hi” let alone “Do you know how much Jesus loves you?” But that’s no excuse, for any of us. We must power through, and hopefully, we will.
2. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You DID speak to the starbucks lady. Maybe this was the way God intended it all along? Through a movie, you were saved, and through you, she is saved. Makes you wonder how many souls are lost for every one person unsaved.
3. Psh, tan is great, but overrated. Some girls just look better without a tan. You’re a very attractive girl just the way you are, and if anyone tells you otherwise, karate chop ‘em in the throat, Bruce Lee style. ’nuff said.
4. Thank for sharing. God bless.
(this really didn’t turn out to be a nutshell verion. . .)
Larry, I have to disagree with the comment about only being able to put forth ideas from the stage….not being able to share the gospel from the stage, etc. I think Billy Graham is a wonderful example of sharing the gospel from the stage. A stage is nothing more than a medium to share the gospel to a multitude of people rather than one at a time. The Bible says that people accept Christ solely from HEARING the Word of God (Romans 10:13-17). The “stage” is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter whether we stand on a stage or a floor, or a mountain, or a chair. As long as we tell the Truth about sin and the Savior.
Hope I haven’t taken your comment out of context.
Joy by asking that lady that you planted the seed, and by her response she wants to know more. I think you did great. I think you should give her one of your CD’s. It helped me.
Joy I think you did great you planted the seed, and since she responded they way she did she wants to know more. Think you should give her one of your CD’s. I know it will help her get closer to God, because of your great messages in your songs. Believe me I know they helped me
Chris, weird thing is that I had already given her a cd about 3 months ago. I have no idea, though, if she even listened to it. I haven’t had Starbucks in over 24 hours….looks like tomorrow just might be the day.
Hello!! hmmmm… your blogs ALWAYS kept in me thinking!! …. sometimes i can’t even share a comment of it!!
I’m extremely shy and i can relate to your description of “I get embarrassed easily. My cheeks turn red. I lose all ability to speak” and i will add.. my heart beats that fast & hard that i hear it louder than my voice… but sometimes i’m not brave like you, sometimes i let my chances (and what its worse, a salvation for the person) pass…. and i’m ashamed on me!… so i’m responsible too for all these women and men who dont know that Jesus loves them!!
There are alot of arguments and lies from satan that the people believe, and christian believe, and i believe sometimes…. and we must stop believe all these crap and start to believe ONLY God’s thoughts for us!…… talking with people i realized that there are TONS of satan’ lies and fantasies which make people be hugely blind to see love & the TRUTH… and thats why we are here on earth, to make them see it!! it’s So clear, but WHY is So hard to me (and some people) sometimes??
God forgives me for this and keeps giving me more opportunities to share His love to people!!
I Love you heart, sensitivity & simplicity!! God bless you so much!…Keep rocking the gospel!!Your life is a blessing!
Love….
C, I love it!! Makes me know that what is coming up with us will be full of random encounters that He is wanting to happen. We do need to wake up and look around this country. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Joy,
I enjoy your blogs, they are very genuine and show us all a glimpse of what Jesus wants us to be. I suffer from the same social anxiety and the truly sad or amazing depending on which way you loook at it, thing is I have chosen after 33 years to be a High School History teacher. I barely passed high school and was a complete screw up. I worked construction for 13 years and once upon a time on a whim went to a major league baseball open tryout to try my hand at my dream of being a pitcher in the big leagues. I guess we never know what kind of path the Lord will put us on. I have to overcome that social anxiety every time I get up in front of a class. the career path doesn’t make much sense to me but I guess it doesn’t have to. thanks for the great music. God Bless.
P.S. Wish you would come to Iowa.
Ah! The CD idea…I love it!! Your music also ministered to me…continues to. Music and I have always been connected deep but only in the past 5 years or so have I allowed God to really used it to draw me into His love! Music like yours opens up my mind to understand that there’s a great BIG God who really does love me and with Him, well, I’m no longer a nobody, no matter what I do or don’t know. Bless you & bless the lady @ Starbucks who has now heard that YES, indeed, she is loved by THE Savior of the world and all us girls who think we don’t know much too!!
Joy, your music is quite inspiring across the spectrum of human experience. Many of your songs leave an impression of experiences not limited to religion. Good luck for this tour and festival season, find reward in your life journey, dwell in love as you share here, that is joy’s essence.