Another Backslidden Believer (cell phone customer service)

A few days ago we received a cell phone bill that included hundred’s of dollars of overage charges (the bill itself was 30 pages long!). I had to dig out all our recent phone bills and do a lot of comparing and researching to figure out what went wrong. I traced the error back to something we were incorrectly told by the cell phone company on a specific date, and some of it to us using more minutes than we expected (meaning we did owe some!).

I called in and spent quite some time with the cell phone company, politely working through the issues. The main gentleman that helped me took a lot of time to understand the issues, and then spent time working further on the issues to correct them. He called back later that evening (as I was having dinner) and spent another thirty minutes reviewing the final changes with me.

A failure: I was anxious to get back to my dinner and didn’t feel like sharing with him – so I didn’t share. I did ask to speak with his manager and shared with her how much help this individual had been to us.

However, the next day, in the evening, unexpectedly, this young man called back with a further update on the cell phone situation; he shared that all the credits had been approved, and he was going to follow-up with our other phone company to make sure we weren’t charged late fee’s while they waited for the credits to flow through. This time, the Lord put it on my heart to share with him.

As usual, at the end of the call he asked if there was anything else he could help with. I said there wasn’t anything relating to business, but I had a person question for him. He laughed (but was curious), and asked what it was. I asked if he had ever heard of, or taken, the “good person” test. He thought it sounded funny – but said he hadn’t. I again gave the usual “if you’re too busy and need to go, no problem, just let me know” and then started into it. I also gave him a heads-up that there was a moral at the end (otherwise I believe people have tended to feel that I’m “baiting them along” somewhat).

He readily admitted to lying, and even came up with the proper label. He readily admitted to stealing, and came close with the title (first guess was “a stealer?”). He readily admitted to taking God’s name in vain (which I said I hoped had never happened at work! – and he laughed and said, unfortunately, it had). Next I gave him the choice of looking at murder or adultery – and he choose adultery. He was then the first person I have ever had admit to committing adultery (and this was while on a customer service phone call – which could be monitored by his employers!). I still went on and shared how God looks at the heart, and even the thought – in God’s eyes – is a sin before Him.

I summarized his condition before God, and asked if he, when God judges him as He says He will, would be innocent or guilty. His response: guilty. I asked if he would go to heaven or hell, and he said: heaven. I asked why, and he gave one of the most theologically correct answers I’ve heard: because he was hoping (perhaps he said trusting) in the blood of Jesus to cover his sin.

I said that was wonderful (Praise the Lord!) and affirmed his faith with him. Then, I moved on to the follow-up test for believers.

I shared how Scripture encourages us as believers to examine ourselves to see if our salvation is genuine:

• 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

I also shared that anytime Scripture refers to a person’s salvation and walk with the Lord, it never refers to a prayer that was said, but always refers to the person’s way of life:

• 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (and many other verses)

I then asked him, brother to brother in the Lord, if he is currently living as the Lord would have him to live or if he is bound by sin. He paused for a moment, and said that he is bound by sin.

We continued talking for a little while, and I shared a brief portion of my testimony with him. He asked if it would be OK to call back at some point to discuss further – as he said the Lord has been doing quite a bit in his heart and life lately. I absolutely gave him permission and encouraged him to surrender everything to Jesus, and to be reading the Word and obeying it.

I’m praying that – whether or not he calls – God works in this young man’s heart and transforms him into a powerful, dynamic, believer that is not encumbered with sin.

• John 8:34-36:
• 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.