Sharing at McDonald’s

While traveling today, we ate dinner at a McDonald’s in a very small Nevada town (the McDonald’s was the only fast-food restaurant in town (and the others were not normal sit-down restaurants). When we walked in, there were only six customers sitting at tables: two young men at one table and about four young girls at another table (they weren’t together).

I asked the guys if the McDonald’s was the hangout location for young folks – as that was all I saw in the restaurant – and he looked around (perhaps not realizing it was only young people in the McDonald’s). We started talking about the town, and I found out they were there working on a power plant and were only there seasonally, then they would be heading back to their homes in Texas.

After chatting for awhile I asked if they had ever been given a million dollar bill (they hadn’t), so I gave them one, along with an IQ test tract and an “Are You Good Enough to Go to Heaven” tract. As I explained what each one was, we then got down to the third tract. I asked if they had a Christian background – and they said no. I asked if they considered themselves to be good people, and one said yes the other said he wasn’t sure. We then went through the commandments. The one that said he was a good person readily admitted to lying, stealing, blasphemy, and adultery of the heart. The other one didn’t want to admit lying or stealing, and right then his phone rang and he got up to talk on the phone. When I asked if God judged him if he would be guilty or innocent, he acknowledged guilt – but wouldn’t admit to a destination in hell.

We talked for a while about how valuable his soul is (he said he had never really thought about heaven or hell). His friend showed back up, and I brought him up to speed with where we were. The conversation had been lighthearted and fun – and continued to be, although it became a bit more serious as we progressed.

I shared the various methods many people use to try and get to heaven (confessing, being good, or doing good works) and as we talked about each in relation to a court of law, they agreed that those methods don’t make sense. I then shared the story of my Grandfather and his traffic court situation, and they agreed that it was OK for an innocent person to pay the fine for a guilty person.

I shared the gospel with them, and explained what Jesus had done for them, but that it required their willingness to surrender everything to Him. After a bit more sharing, the food was ready (someone else in my family had ordered for me) so I said I hoped I hadn’t ruined their dinner (they said I hadn’t) and I went to eat. While eating, I realized I hadn’t offered them Bibles (they didn’t have any at the trailer they were living in during their work project), so I went back over and asked if they would be interested in having a Bible. They both were. I gave them both a pocket New Testament, and folded down a page where a chain of salvation Scriptures begins; I also showed them where John was.

They were genuinely grateful for what I had shared with them and the Bibles, and waved (from outside the building – I had been sitting at a table with my back to them while they were inside the building) as they left.

I was amazed at how open they two young guys were that appeared on the surface to have no interest in spiritual things.