Prepared to Give an Answer

Last night our music minister shared from 1 Peter that we should be prepared to give an answer for the reason for our hope in Christ whenever someone asks.

And I thought about work. I've become the "go-to" person when someone has a question about the Bible. Recently someone asked "Who was Cain's wife?" They also don't forward dirty jokes to me. I'm thankful for that reputation, but that doesn't share my hope.

No, that comes less often. But those opportunities do come. The week after I celebrated Easter, a co-worker said she was going to color Easter eggs with her son on Friday night. It turns out that she was raised Orthodox, and they were celebrating Jesus' resurrection a week later.

I had overheard this same person telling someone else (we sit in the same cubicle, I can't help but hear) that she struggled with believing what couldn't be seen or proven. She's a trained scientist. So I was surprised that she would follow a religious ritual.

She shared how her faith is important to her ... but her husband grew up in war-torn Bosnia, the victim of religious conflict, and wants nothing to do with religion. He doesn't want their son raised with any faith. "Let him make his own decision when he is old enough."

She said, "But this much I will do. I will celebrate the resurrection with my son."

One of those times when the Holy Spirit pokes me and says "so, say something." I shared something ... I don't remember what ... whatever I said, I felt inadequate in addressing the problems she and her family had faced. I'm not convinced her "religion" is by faith and not an expression of her culture (1st generation immigrant from Macedonia.)

But one advantage of working in a secular office are these one-of-a-kind conversations. I pray God will use my words to speak to her heart. As I walked through the valley with Jolene last year, God opened many such doors.

I'm also thankful that people in all walks of life will read my books because they know me; people who would never walk into a Christian bookstore or join an inspirational book club.

For someone who felt called to full-time ministry, I found it in the most unexpected place--a secular satellite tv giant.