This morning, I read of a missionary to Indonesia, in the 1970s, who was told by local officials that he would not be permitted to openly preach the Gospel. So instead, he went to the market where vendors sold their goods by calling out to throngs of people. They recruited crowds to their tables by describing to passing shoppers, with a loud voice, what they were selling. The missionary rented a table and began “selling” Bibles and Gospel tracts by proclaiming to those in the marketplace what he had to offer.
The story reminded me of a friend of mine who worked as a roofer while in Bible college. Unhappy over the vile music his co-workers brought to the roof, he countered with his own audio, which was daily Bible reading. When other roofers objected, he explained he was simply studying his schoolwork.
Both these men illustrate how a conflict or difficulty became a creative way for them to share the Gospel as they seized the opportunity to redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day.” He and his wife, Carrie, live in Salisbury, NC, with several of their 12 children.
