Do You Inspire Others to Draw Closer to God? [Conversations with a Stranger]

On my flight back from England I had gotten up to use the bathroom. Walking back to my seat, I was stopped by a 19-year old Paraguayan, Catholic gentleman named Rodrigo. Our conversation went something like this:

RODRIGO: Excuse me sir, but do you happen to have a Bible?

ME: I do.

RODRIGO: Do you mind if I borrow it?

ME: Not at all. It would be my pleasure; (handing him my Bible, I asked…) Are you from England?

RODRIGO: No, I’m from Paraguay but go to university in England. I just finished my final exams and heading to New York for summer holiday. I saw you reading earlier and I thought to myself “I want to read the Bible, but didn’t have one, so I said I would ask you.”

ME: Here you go. Enjoy!

What inspired him to read?

He simply saw a fellow Christian studying the Bible.

3 Important Lessons God Reminded Me Of:

1. When you’re hungry for God (like Rodrigo is), don’t let anything stand in your way of being fed (even if it means having a potentially awkward conversation with a complete stranger).

2. You never know who’s watching you, so live authentically at all times. Be sure that you don’t ‘try to live authentically’ so that you will be seen. Just be natural in your relationship with God and He will use those moments in His own way (even if the “Rodrigo’s “of the world don’t come up to you). 

3. Be ready to share the Gospel ‘in season and out of season.’ This time my ‘sharing’ came in the form of simply handing someone my Bible. Other times it may require that I answer a friend’s question or extend love to a complete stranger.

If you want to inspire others to draw closer to God, I believe the best way to you so is to just be “you in Christ” and you will.