How I Met Ms. Judith

Let's just start out saying: I got to witness to someone!!!!!

Okay...so maybe it wasn't quite witnessing.  But it was an amazing experience.  Should I start from the beginning?

My mom, three little sisters, two little brothers, and I were selling trying to sell blackberry plants, fresh blackberries, and frozen blackberries at the farmer's market in town.  We didn't actually sell that much, but who cares?  Thankfully, God blessed us with an overcast day as we sat under the tent displaying out juicy produce.  And as we were hanging out there by ourselves...up walks Ms. Judith.

We've actually met her before.  She lives quite close to our road.  But because she is single and lives alone in the middle of the country, she likes to go to town often and talk.  And talk.  And talk.  Haha.

So this is basically how our conversation with her went:

Me: direct the conversation towards God

Ms. Judith:  talk on and on over my head

Mom: leads the conversation back to important issues

Ms. Judith: talk on and on over both of our heads

Yeah...so it was a really hard situation. *sigh*  Ms. Judith is very smart.  Extremely smart.  (Now I'm wondering why she lives in a tiny, backwards town like ours?)  She knows the Bible very well.  She's read the entire Book numerous times.  She has studied all of the famous works, scientists, etc.  There is only one problem.  She missed everything.

When Mom asked her, "Is Jesus as the Son of God?" Ms. Judith replied with, "Those words don't actually appear in the Bible.  It was a mis-translation."  She believes that "all religions lead to God"...but she isn't sure that there is a God.  (quite confusing, I know.)  She says that she is a morally good person.  The only sin she has committed, she told us, is the sin of omission. (not doing what you know you should do)  She doesn't kill any animal.  Not even poisonous spiders or rattlesnakes.  (Eek!)  She doesn't believe in abortion.  Thus, she must be a "good" person.  However, she also admitted that she isn't humble enough to accept that she is a sinner.

At the end of our conversation, Mom said what I had been thinking the whole time.  "The Bible says that you must come to God, trusting as a child, or you will miss it all.  (Matthew 18:3) You are too smart for your own good.  I think you've missed the point."

How sad.  How could someone be so smart...but lack true wisdom?  How could they read the entire Bible, study it for years, and come away from that experience believing that it's a flawed book with translation errors?

But this is what I gained from the conversation:

What if someone came to me and asked me why I believe the way I do?  What would I say?

Why do I love God?  Why do I read the Bible?

So I sat down and prayed about it.  I want you to do the same.  Ask God.  Find out what is behind your actions.  Do you do it because you have to?  Or do you do it because of love?

When I was finished, I had found a huge blessing poured down on me.

I do it all because I love Him.  And because He loves me.

God is always by my side.  He listens to my (sometimes silly) prayers.  He can see all the sins, faults, and ugliness in my heart and He loves me just the same. He will never leave me nor forsake me. (Deuteronomy 31:6) He loves me with a love that lasts forever. (Jeremiah 31:3) He knows my every thought. (Psalm 139:2)  He sees my every tear. (Psalm 56:8) He knows the number of hair on my head. (Luke 12:7)

How could I not love Him in return?

But I want you to ask yourself the same question.  Are you reading the Bible like Ms. Judith?  Are you missing the point?  Why do you do what you do?  Is this all for show?  Or is it real?

Maybe if you write down your answer, you can see it more clearly.  I wrote a poem to express my thoughts.  Do whatever you need to do to find out the Truth.

Examine your life.

What did you find?  Why do you read the Bible, pray, and seek God?  Also, have you ever witnessed to someone who had missed the point of everything?   Share your thoughts in the comments!