Just Moms

The title of this is a question I ask a lot. I asked this question yesterday at Walmart when I ran into a nurse from the pediatrician’s office. I asked this question to a friend on Facebook last week. I have asked this question to someone drinking Starbucks at the local Christian bookstore. I ask this question a lot.

Not only do I ask this question, but I’m prepared to reply to their response.

“No, what’s Zippy’s?” I usually hear them say. And I happily tell them what Zippy’s has to offer, my favorite ice-cream and coffee, where it’s located, etc…

After I asked this question yesterday and I left Walmart, I asked myself these questions…

Am I just as willing to ask someone if they have heard of my church?
Am I just as willing to ask someone if they know Christ as their Savior?
Am I just as willing to ask them how I can pray for them?
Am I just as willing to ask them if their children attend a weekly kids ministry at church?

Now, if I do any of the above, it yields another question…

Am I prepared and ready to reply to their response???

Imagine these scenarios:

Me: “Have you heard of Zippy’s”
Nurse: “No, what is it?”
Me: “Can’t tell you!”
Then I walked away.

Me: “Have you heard of Zippy’s”
Nurse: “No, what is it?”
Me: “It’s a great ice-cream cafe!”
Nurse: “Where is it?”
Me: “Oh, I think it’s in Smyrna.”

Me: “Have you heard of Zippy’s”
Nurse: “No, what is it?”
Me: “It’s a great ice-cream cafe!”
Nurse: “What do they serve there?”
Me: Oh, it’s located on 13 in Dover.

Me: “Have you heard of Zippy’s”
Nurse: “No, what is it?”
Me: “It’s a great ice-cream cafe!”
Nurse: “What kind of ice-cream do they have?”
Me: “All kinds”
Nurse: “Are they homemade?”
Me: “Yes”
Nurse: “Does he make them there.”
Me: Why don’t you go there and find out for yourself!

Me: “Have you heard of Zippy’s”
Nurse: “No, what is it?”
Me: “It’s a great ice-cream cafe!”
Nurse: “Do they make their own ice-cream?”
Me: “Yes”
Nurse: “Where is it?”
Me: “Oh, it’s in Dover on route 13, next to McDonald’s. It used to be a carpet place.”
And I drew a little map on a napkin I had and gave it to her.

Let’s go over the scenarios:

Scenario #1 – I asked the question. They replied. I refused to answer.

Scenario #2 – I asked the question. They replied. I didn’t know the answer.

Scenario #3 – I asked the question. They replied. I gave them the wrong answer.

Scenario #4 – I asked the question. They replied. They asked more questions. I got frustrated and replied unkindly.

Scenario #5 – I asked the question. They replied. I knew the answer and spent time explaining it to them.

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” – 2 Timothy 4:2

This verse tells us to be prepared in season and out of season. Which means to be prepared ALWAYS. In scenario #5, I was ready and willing to spend time answering their question.

But, be prepared to do what? To preach the Word. In scenario #5, I had the knowledge about Zippy’s and wasn’t afraid to share it.

But FOR what? To correct, rebuke, encourage.
In scenario #5, I answered the question that they asked. Just as the Bible is used differently for different situations, the response I gave them answered their question accurately.

But how? With patience and careful instruction. In Scenario #5, I was patient and answered the questions with kindness.

So, I ask you these questions…

1. Are you willing to share the gospel? Invite someone to church? Ask how you can pray for someone?
2. Are you ready and prepared to answer questions that they may ask?
3. Are you willing to spend time helping someone to understand the gospel or understand the doctrine of your church?
4. Are you staying patient with those who may frustrate and irritate you when you talk about things of God?

May we all be ready in and out of season!!