Making the Most of Every Opportunity

Everyday Conversation

I was at a medical lab to have an x-ray that my doctor had ordered. When I walked into the lab, I could tell that at least half of the staff was from the Middle East.

When I was called to the x-ray room, I met the technician, Mariam, who I immediately struck up a conversation with. I asked her where she was from (Iran), and was her family here with her, etc.

After the x-ray I offered her a tract, “Jesus and the Qur’an". (One of Crossways many excellent tracts)

Mariam immediately said, “I don’t want that. I don’t want anything to do with Islam … Islam ruined my family!” I tried to explain that the tract was more about Jesus than the Qur’an, but she would not be persuaded.

I then said, “Mariam, you seem restless. What is it that you are looking for?”

Without hesitation she said, “I just want to find peace, that’s all I ask.”

(I always make it a point to carry a small satchel with Farsi/Arabic New Testaments, tracts, Jesus DVD’s, etc., so I am prepared to meet the need of the hungry heart.)

I then pulled out a Farsi New Testament and said, “Your search is over. This is the Ingil, the story of the Prince of Peace, Jesus.”

Miriam took the New Testament and opened it. When she saw it was in Farsi, her face lit up and her eyes were teary. She then said, “Thank you! I will read this.”

Follow-Up Appointment

A month later I went for a follow-up x-ray at the same lab.

This time there was another technician, Aiza, who was also from Iran.

After the x-ray I then offered her the tract, “Jesus and the Qur’an.” Her reply was different from Mariam’s: “No, I don’t want that. I don’t believe there is a God.”

I then said, “Oh, well here, this one is for you,” and I showed her the tract, “Is There a God?”

She burst out laughing and said, “Ok, you got me, I’ll read that.”

She then said, “You must be the man who Mariam met, who gave her the book in Farsi about Jesus.” I said I was, but how did she know about my encounter with Mariam?

Aiza said that after reading the book, Mariam had left it on the coffee table in the staff lounge so the staff could all read it!

Praise God, I felt like all my Christmas’ had come at once!

It has been estimated that around 57% of people who come to Christ do so through the printed word. In today’s fast paced world we may only have a moment to spend with a person, so “making the most of the opportunity” (Col. 4:5-6) by being prepared with a copy of the written Word, is the least we can do in fulfilling our obligation as ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:20)

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  – Colossians 4:5,6