Curbside Christian

by Craig Emerson Strain

One afternoon I was on campus of U of A in Birmingham, Alabama. We were having Church services that evening in an joining town.

As I walked across the campus, I saw a student setting on the curb. She looked kinda dejected so I stopped to talk with her. I asked her if she was a Christian, and she said "no". She didn't seem to reject the idea of someone approaching her and asking such a point blank question, so I continued to talk with her about the Lord.

I asked her if she had ever repented of her sins to Jesus. I told her that to be a Christian was to come to Jesus and ask him for forgiveness. I told her that only Jesus died on the cross for her sin and after that, He arose from the dead. He alone has eternal life.

Of the many people that I had shared Jesus with, this person didn't seem too upset with what I was sharing with her. So I asked her if she want to pray at this time and ask "Jesus into her heart." She said she did. So I lead her in a simple prayer to ask Jesus to forgive her and to come into her heart, forgive her of her sin, and direct her steps. As she prayed, the Lord really touched her heart. Drops of tears fell to the concrete curb while she prayed. It was wonderful!

Another person was walking by and saw us in prayer, he came over and began to minister to the student also and tell her about his friend named Jesus. The three of us were blessed with the presence of God as we rejoyced in her salvation.

We fellowshiped and rejoiced in the Lord over what had happened for a while and then we had to go our separate ways. But I had a question to the girl, I had seen her setting there, but when I spoke to her about Jesus, I was amazed at how "open" she was to hearing the Gospel. So many people don't want to talk about the Lord. And she was so willing to listen and to pray.

She told me that just a while before I had approached her, another Christian had spoke to her and she "cussed him out". She told him off about his religion. She told me that when that Christian turned and walked away, it was if God himself had turned and walked away. She said that for the next few minutes, all the loneliness and hurt of the world had dropped on her. She said that in her heart she asked God if he would give her another chance and she looked up and saw this tall lanky guy walk up and ask her if she knew Jesus.

John 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

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