Starbucks Coffee Shop

I don’t drink coffee, but some in my family do. While we were traveling this evening, we stopped at a Starbucks Coffee Shop. There were two young fellows having chilled coffee drinks and talking together. I only had one million dollar bill tract with me, but I gave it to one of them and we started talking.

One had recently graduated from his first four years of school on his way to becoming a dentist (his father is also a dentist). The other fellow used to work construction, but is not currently working anywhere.

After talking about the region for awhile, I mentioned the conference we were at was a Christian conference, and asked if they had a Christian background. One had been raised as an Episcopalian, the other a JW. All three of us went through the “good person” test. They were OK with the test, but the mood became a bit more somber.

At one point the young man who used to be a JW did aske me if I believed Jesus was God, and I shared for just a few seconds that that was what Scripture says, and gave a brief example of how Jesus accepted worship, whereas angels never did (Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.) Jesus accepted worship from men – for Him to do so, if He isn’t God, would be blasphemy. Then we went back to the law.

We talked for probably 15 or so minutes, and they both agreed with much of what I was able to share – and I encouraged them to get right with God before it is too late.

As the conversation drew to a close I said I hoped I hadn’t spoiled their evening, and they both said I hadn’t (perhaps they were simply being polite). And yet I did share that while guilt and discussions of hell are not pleasant, they are needful for us all to address.

The conversation was doubly-encouraging considering a young man I tried to share with at a park earlier in the day – and whom had been open enough to talk for a little while, but was clearly not interested. He was an environmentalist that was raised a Catholic. He went through the commandments, but didn’t want to admit any guilt – “his god” doesn’t see things so black and white, and is more forgiving. We talked a little about idolatry, but it was clear he was happy in his own religion… The goal isn’t to argue, and seed cannot be planted on rocky soil (in fact, according to Jesus’ parable, planting in rocky soil will actually result in a false convert that dies out later and isn’t genuine), so hopefully by sharing the law in a loving manner he would have something to think about which might eventually be used of the Lord to soften his heart (so it would no longer be considered “rocky soil”).