John 4:42
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
It all begins with a story. The Samaritan woman ran back to her town and told them what had happened to her at the well with the man, clearly a prophet, who revealed truth to her. Her story drew their curiosity and eventually, they too believed in the Christ, through direct encounters with Him.
I used to think that evangelizing or “bringing others to Christ” meant I had to know the “Four Spiritual Laws” or master the script from “Evangelism Explosion.” And although these programs work for some folks, they have not worked for me.
Meeting Christ and choosing the Way of Jesus transformed my life. When I met Jesus, I was flirting with the dark side in a major way: drugs, alcohol, filthy speech habits, and casual sex. It was ultimately just another young man’s story that made me curious enough to read the New Testament. This was my direct encounter with the Lord and I could not say “no” to His invitation. I asked to become his disciple the night of December 24, 1979.
I wish I could say that I was as enthusiastic as the Samaritan woman and ran to tell all of my friends that I had made a decision to follow Jesus. Instead, I was still embarrassed, worried about what they would think or say. And yet, they heard about it anyway. I was changed and people noticed. They asked questions. They wanted to know how I, one of the depraved, could have met Jesus. Like the woman at the well or the woman who washed Jesus feet with her hair, I was renewed by His acceptance and love.
But what about today? After 30 years, is there still power in my story?
Meditations from Zion 
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