We Were Just Friends

Her name was… Let’s say her name was Susan.

We both worked for a huge government agency in Washington.

Things fell out that we took our coffee breaks at the same time every day and took to sitting at the same table in the snack bar for our allotted 15 minutes morning and afternoon. Then we started eating lunch together every day.

Our conversation often revolved around inane things the supervisors were doing at the moment.

Susan’s parents brought her to America when she was a teen. Susan, her family, parents, grandparents and back for generations and generations in the old country were not Christians. They worshiped something other than Jesus Christ.

As we became friends, I often “witnessed” to Susan hoping to win her to Christ.

I gave my “testimony”.

I handed her tracts to read….

I showed her Scripture verses.

Then a better job offer came along for me.

I left the agency.

Something came up that I wanted to do. Something I wanted to do bad. Something entirely at odds with my being a Christian.

I weighted my desire on one hand against my Lord on the other.

I chose my desire.

I did what I wanted.

One day I got a call from Susan. She asked if I’d meet her for lunch in a quite and private place. I agreed.

“John,” she said, “I’ve thought about those things you told me. I’ve thought about them a lot. I think I want to become a Christian. Can you show me how?”.

I said, “I don’t believe that stuff anymore”.

“But you told me…”

“Yeah, but I’ve changed my mind. I don’t believe any of it’s true”.

“Those beautiful things about Jesus?”

“Nothing to it,” I said. “Nothing to it at all.”

We finished lunch.

I never saw Susan again.

I never even heard a rooster.