Witnessing - Keith

I was driving from a Bible Study on my way to another Church tonight (Wed March 25), when I met a man named Keith. I think I remember correctly to say that his name was Keith although it could be something similar.

I was stopped at a stop sign on my route, when I heard a 'Hey!'. I rolled down my window and an around 40 year old black male wearing black jeans with oil spots and a t-shirt asked me if I could jump his car off for him. I reluctantly asked 'where is your car?' and he replied 'right up here at my aunt's house'. I thought that 'right up here' would mean the actual neighborhood we were already in; well to my surprise, it wasn't. He got in the car and I asked which way and he said 'Green St.', which is a street about 5 minutes away.

He intoduced himself as 'Keith' and said he was from Miami and in town visiting his family. He was very kind, even though he used coarse language. He then thanked me for agreeing to take him to his car. Next, he started explaining vigorously how 'all day long black people have passed him by, but this white boy picked him up'. I told him 'it ain't about race, man', trying to change the subject. He used many explicatives that I am editing out in these sentences.

Keith then told me that his car was near 'Highway 24-7', which is a highway around 7 minutes from out present location. I asked some questions about where exactly his car was and he gave some shady answers; however, the journey continued. A short while later he began talking on a cell phone to 'his cousin'. We were stopped at a railroad crossing right before the highway, when he explained to me that his cousing told him that 'the car had been towed'.

He then told me that the towing place was somewhere near Smiley's and asked if I could take him there. Smiley's is a giant flea market in Macon (about 12 minutes away). He wasn't begging or harassing, rather he was asking very kindly as if he truly needed for me to take him there. I began to become very suspicious when I found out that he wanted to go to Smiley's, because this is about the third time that our destination had been changed in the past fifteen minutes. Also, the phone conversations that he seemed to be having seemed to be 'one-way' conversations. I had doubts if anyone was even on the other line. Also, for someone from Miami... he sure did know his way around town.

Anyways, I hesitantly agreed on taking him to Smiley's. As we rode down the highway to Macon, he talked some about his car and 'talked on the phone' as well. But, then he asked the strangest question...

'Do You Believe in God, Jeremy?'

I replied 'Yes' very quickly, then there was a pause. I couldn't believe that he asked me that. It seemed like the question flew out of nowhere. Then I asked 'Do you believe in God?'. He replied 'Yes, sir'. I then asked 'what do you think happens after death'? He thought for a while, then said something like 'If your soul is right with God, then you go to heaven.' I then acted if I had no idea whatsoever about God and asked 'How does that all work?', and he replied 'You gotta go through Jesus'. He actually partially quoted John 14:6 by saying 'No one comes to God but through Jesus.'

In an effort to continue the conversation that somehow spontaneously generated (which is a scientific impossibility), I asked something along the lines of 'Why Jesus? How do you go through Him? etc.' He pondered the question for a while and then replied 'You know, I don't really have an answer for that one. But I think I will go to heaven when I die.'

Then I hit him with the big question 'Do you think you are a good person?'

He answered, 'Yes, I am a good person.'

I laughed a little and said 'Aiight, well let me ask you a couple of questions to see..?'

He said 'aiight'.

I asked, 'Have you ever told a lie?'

He smiled and said, 'yeah.'

I said, 'What do you call someone who tells lies?'

He said 'A busta!'

I laughed and then said 'Nawww, more specifically...'

He said 'A liar.'

I then took Keith through four other commandments and he was guilty of 4 out of 5 total. I then asked him, 'what does he think God should do with him on Judgment Day'? Essentially, he replied 'I don't know...' but then he began to think more and said 'but I've done alotta good things in my life.'

I replied, 'But it's like you are in a courtroom and you're guilty of murdering a bunch of people. The Judge isn't going to let you go free because you once helped an old lady across the street or gave to charity.'

He then said 'yeah, but then everybody is guilty.' I replied, 'ABSOLUTELY.'

I then began to give Him the Gospel, 'We are all guilty of sinning and breaking God's Holy Law, but God sent Jesus Christ on our behalf. He lived a perfect sinless life and then bore your sins and mine on that cross. He paid your fine, so now you can go free if...'

Abruptly, he stopped me and began talking on the phone again. Then he asked me if I could take him to his cousins house on San Juan. San Jaun is a street about 15 minutes away from Smiley's. I said 'alright'. I was thinking to myself, 'I've already brought him this far, I might as well take him where he really wants to go.' As we moved on down towards San Juan, he asked me hesitantly if I could give him some money. I replied no at first, but then he asked if I would buy him some chicken and I said Yes.

We pulled up at a local Church's Chicken. (Ha Ha Ha, I didn't think about it at the time, but it's sort of funny... I was on my way to church, then I got sidetracked and ended up at Church's Chicken. Ha Ha!)

I got him a 3-piece, biscuit and drink. I could tell that Keith really needed the money, so I gave him about eight dollars that I had left over also. He looked shocked and said 'Thanks Jeremy, you are full of surprises'. I then actually took him over to San Juan. Keith directed me to the house where he wished to be dropped off and I pulled up to it and stopped. As Keith got out of the car, he thanked me for doing all that I had done. Before he shut my door, I reached into my arm-rest and pulled out about some million dollar bill 'witnessing tracts'. I gave him about '15' and said 'Give some to your cousin, man.' He smiled and said 'aiight, thank you.' And then he walked around the car and I drove off.

Everything I mentioned in this story in absolutely true. This encounter actually happened to me as I portrayed it here. I did not tell this story so that people will think, 'Oh Jeremy, you are so wonderful. You are such a man of God, blah blah blah...' I don't want any praise or glory for this encounter, even though I did give the man $15,000,008 dollars.

I only wish that God will get all of the glory. I wrote this so that people would be encouraged to stay strong in the Faith. God will provide 'witnessing encounters' for you to be a witness for Christ, if you truly trust in Him. Look at my situation! I had no idea what God was doing, but perhaps God was setting things up with Keith and I so that I could share the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My only regret is that I didn't get to finish the Gospel presentation because of the 'phone call'. I never got to tell Keith my two favorite words 'Repent & Believe'. Salvation only comes by repentance and faith in The Lord Jesus Christ. But, I pray sincerely that my new friend, Keith will think about the words we shared and that God will convict his heart of the sin in his life causing him to repent and truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ'.

May God Get All The Glory, All The Time!

+ Jakab +