When we moved in to our home in Stockton we were so excited to have an orange tree in the backyard. We were amazed that it produced oranges through the whole winter. It seemed really weird. Now we know why. God is using our orange tree to share the Gospel. Yes… God can use even our orange tree to share the Gospel!
One morning a few months ago as we were sitting on our front porch swing reading our bibles. A woman who was walking her dog stopped to talk to us. We talked about life for a few minutes and she mentioned that we should meet her husband. We agreed but didn't really think anything of it at the time.
A few weeks later an older man was walking by while I was mowing the lawn. He was walking the same dog that the woman had been walking a few weeks earlier. He stopped and just watched me mow the lawn. It was a little awkward, I admit. Then he finally said something... "Are you the guy that reads his bible on the porch?" I was a little surprised, I had never seen this man before but he apparently knew who I was. I responded with a quiet "yes..." Then he says "My wife gave me a bible, but I don't read it or anything...That's what bible studies are for, right? Do you actually understand what you read?"
OK, so at this point I am amazed at the conversation and praying in my spirit that God would do something. I respond again with, "Yes, I do understand." He mentioned that his Bible was in English and it was difficult for him to understand because it was not his primary language. Before I know it, we are talking in Spanish.... About the Gospel!!! It was incredible.
At this point in our conversation I am amazed at where it is going. That’s when he comes out of left field with the question… “Do you eat all the oranges off your tree?” I say “No???” I was totally caught off guard and wondering why he is asking me. Then he asks if it’s ok if he picks the oranges off our tree in the backyard. I realized that is the whole reason he was trying to make conversation, He wanted oranges and came by our house trying to make conversation so we would let him have oranges.
That was about 2 months ago. Ever since then he comes by about every 10 days and asks for more oranges. We go to the back yard and pick him a bag or two of oranges and we get to talk to him about life, Family, the weather, and yes…. The Gospel! Praise the Lord for oranges in winter.
God can even use oranges to share the Gospel. Pray for our friends Salvation!
You know what I think is interesting, even more than your God given tree, is that God blessed you with the parents that He did, who had the jobs that they did, that allowed you to make Spanish as easy to learn as it was. Think about it. The whole conversation may have fizzled out had you not been as fluent as you are. There is another blessing. God is Good.
ReplyDeleteLove the story, but don't believe you were really mowing the lawn. I mean isn't that what the church has interns for?
ReplyDeleteOranges and neighbors brought together by the Gospel- terrific!
ReplyDelete