Tonight I went to dinner with my wife.  We went to Dixie Cafe.  Yes, give me a hard time.  What can I say.  We had a coupon and we love home cooked food.  The food was pretty good.  Too much food, but pretty good.  The “light dish” is still too much.

But, that’s not the topic tonight.  If you know me, you know I’m a people watcher.  You can learn a lot from watching people.  Some things you are sorry you saw and sorry you learned, but not tonight.  There was 3 couples sitting across the room from us.  They caught my attention because one of the men had that kind of voice that carries across the room.  He was making jokes and everyone was laughing.  You could tell they were just enjoying themselves.  The waitress was enjoying talking to them as well.

When the waitress brought them their check, the man handed her a small booklet, and asked her to read it when she got the chance.  He asked her if she had ever seen the end zone of a football game when someone raises a sign with “John 3:16” on the sign.  She stated she had.  He then told her that John 3:16 was a verse about someone’s love for us and she could read it in the booklet he had just given her.  She told him she knew about the verse, and that she was a Christian.  They had another two minute conversation that I couldn’t hear, and she kept the booklet and told him she’d read it.  

During this time, a man in military uniform came in with his daughter to sit down.  As the man who had witnessed was leaving, his wife handed a booklet to the young man cleaning their table and asked him to read it when he got the chance.  The man went over to the serviceman; patted him on the back and then thanked him for his service.  Then as the group was leaving, the man went to the waitress and asked her if the serviceman had ordered yet.  The waitress stated “no”.  The man waited until he had ordered and then told the waitress to give him the check.  The waitress rang the meal up.  The man didn’t tell the serviceman.

As Arlyn and I were leaving, I walked up to the man and thanked him for being a challenge to me and witnessing to the waitress and the guy cleaning their table and for being a blessing to someone serving our country.  He introduced himself as George Anderson.  

As I watched this whole scene unfold before us, I was convicted.  Why don’t I do that?  Why aren’t I a better witness?  Why do we sit idly by and not share the gospel?  Why aren’t we willing to bless someone anonymously.  Aren’t all those things pleasing to God?  Isn’t that what God requires of us?  Aren’t we supposed to be Ambassadors for Christ?

Sometimes we’re too scared; sometimes we’re too busy; sometimes we don’t care; sometimes we don’t know what to say; sometimes we’re lazy; sometimes we’re afraid of offending; etc.  The list could continue.  You could add to the list of why you or others don’t witness. 

So, thank you George Anderson, for reminding me to do a better job of being a witness to those around me.  I wonder if the waitress at IHOP that we have had 3 weeks in a row now for Men’s Bible Study knows Christ?  Maybe it’s time I asked her and invited her to church.   Maybe it’s time for me to be a blessing to someone in uniform or just someone who needs a blessing.   It shouldn’t be about making a statement; or making sure someone knows what I did.  It’s just about being Christlike and being an Ambassador for Him.

I know I rambled a lot ; but ask yourself this question:

Why don’t you witness?  Consider starting … it’s what a Christian should do …