A night a couple of weeks ago, as a friend and I were leaving the pub after having long conversations and getting all fired up about radically following Jesus, I told him that the whole evening I'd had a thought at the back of my mind of a man with a sling on. No cast, but one of those fabric straps to hold an arm up. I joked that it would be really inconvenient if we saw someone with a sling as we left cause it would mean a serious out-of-comfort-zone experience. No sooner had I mentioned it, and just before we got to the door, three guys walked in and one of them was wearing a sling. Exactly as I'd been imagining.
It would thrill me to say that I turned around and bought him a drink, had a nice chat and then explained that I was a follower of Jesus and I believed that Jesus heals, and then asked whether I could pray for him.
Actually, after pacing around outside for a while and then even going back in to the pub and ordering another drink to 'wait for the opportune moment', I bottled it, and didn't even say hello before they left, about 2 hours later.
I was handed a divine opportunity by the Jesus that I love and serve, and I was too scared to act on it.
I wonder how many more times this sort of thing will happen before I finally let go of my foolish pride, and step out in to uncomfortable land, so that Jesus might be introduced to someone lost.
Wake up Tom; this is getting serious.
