Cultists Come A’ Knockin’! Part I

Scripture: I Peter 3:15,16 (NLT) - And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.

A few weeks ago, a visitor from a well-known cult rang my doorbell.  After looking through the peephole, I thought that it might be someone from my job, or a UPS driver delivering a package.  When I saw who the visitor was, I’m sure that the look on my face said, ‘Look, lady—cut to the chase! You’re not at all who I thought you were, so let’s just “warp-speed” this encounter a bit!  Shall we?!?’ She posed her introductory question of, “Good morning.  How’re you dealin’ with all that’s goin’ on these days?” (or something to that effect)—it was around my third day of teleworking, after Covid-19 surfaced.

I responded with, “Oh—you’re from the Watchtower Society; well, I know exactly who Jesus Is!  I believe He is exactly who He claims to be throughout Scripture; He’s the great ‘I AM!’”(John 8:58; John 14:6)  She then asked me, ‘What makes you so certain of that?’  I was, to my chagrin, not too congenial upon hearing her open-ended question, because I knew that a thoughtful reply would have extended my standing there in my doorway—right in the middle of my teleworking day!  So, I calmly and stoically replied, “I could stand here for two or more hours telling you who Jesus is, but I’m pretty busy right now!  And I must be going.”   I politely shut the door—my literal door AND the door of a “dropped-in-my-lap” evangelistic opportunity!

Brothers and sisters, I would have preferred telling you that I took time to share with her who Jesus is to me, that He’s my Lord and Savior, my Deliverer, my Sin-Bearer, the Friend who sticks closer than any brother, the Lover of my soul, the One in whom I’m staking all my trust, faith, and the blessed hope of forgiveness of all my sins—past, present, and future!  He’s the one who has given me this real and blessed assurance!  Regretfully, that was NOT my response to this unexpected midday visitor.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, when it comes to encounters with those who reject the gospel, remind us that there’s a time to be silent, and a time to speak. (Eccles. 3:7; Matt. 27:12) Grant us wisdom and discernment about when to do each.

(by Denise Diggs)