Have you ever wanted to procrastinate sharing the gospel? Hear Joni share an experience when her lips could not stay sealed. When the Spirit moves you to say something, speak up because the time is now.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and you’re listening to Sharing Hope.
I forget what city I was in, which hotel, and what meeting I had to rush off to that night. All I remember was, I was tired. Plus, my hair needed washing in a bad way, but my wheelchair didn’t fit under the sink in the hotel bathroom. So we dashed to a local mall and found a hair salon. When I wheeled in, the receptionist called out: “Rex, I’ve got a walk-in for you,” at which point a large man with red-dyed hair, wearing many earrings, sauntered out, wiping his hands on a towel. I tried not to stare. Rex artfully messed with my hair. “Oh, sweetheart,” he said, “You need help.”
Well, you know what, I wasn’t going to argue. I was just grateful that he could squeeze me in. He washed my hair and I was glad that our conversation was light. Listening to the drone of the hair dryer, it was the perfect opportunity to unwind. How nice it was to not think about anything! Just keep my eyes closed and enjoy the next 30 minutes. However, I was not able to shut out the Holy Spirit, ‘cause out of nowhere, I heard the Holy Spirit say in my head, Joni, I want you to talk to Rex about Jesus. I replied (in my head), Lord, do I have to? I mean, can’t I just relax? But the Spirit kept insisting while I kept resisting. I half-mumbled, “Okay this is one hour where I’m not going to talk, I’m going to rest my eyes, I’m going to take time off.” And so, my mind was made up.
A minute later, I sensed Rex step to the right, and when the cord of the hairdryer brushed against my cheek, I opened my eyes. And there, at eye level, not inches from my face, dangled his large silver Egyptian ankh around his neck. The ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol of spiritual power; it looks like a cross, but has got this little loop at the top. And I knew that this was something I could not ignore. And I felt God saying to me, “Look at this thing, what do you think about this?” And I knew I just had to say something. And so, I raised my voice above the whine of the dryer, and I said, “Rex, why are you wearing an ankh rather than a cross?”
He almost dropped the dryer and he stood in front of me and said with wide eyes, “You are not going to believe this, but just today I was thinking of replacing this, replacing it with a cross. I’ve had one of the most negative weeks ever and I’m in need of hope. I’m in need of a change.” Oh, my goodness, that gave me such a good in and so, I told him that the Bible says the cross is the power of God. Then we talked about him growing up in a Baptist church (he did), and then he wandered away, and had a lot of frustration with life. And we also talked about hope in Christ. I may have dropped by that salon for a cut and blow dry, but God had more in mind. As I left, Rex told me that he really needed to hear what I had to say. I smiled and I said back at him, “Well you know what, Rex, I think God was talking to us both.” And He was. I’m certain of it when later I stumbled across Psalm 40: 9-10 where it says, “I proclaim righteousness, I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth.”
Wow! If ever there were a time to proclaim righteousness, to speak up about salvation, friend it is now. The world is filled with people like Rex. We must not think that “someone else will reach this person for Jesus” or “I’m tired of having to be ‘on’ for the Lord all the time!” No, we are to ‘be instant in season and out of season’ during every season. As I said, God was talking to both Rex and me and maybe Psalm 40 is talking to you. Don’t procrastinate your proclamation. Speak out and speak up because Rex is counting on it.
© Joni and Friends