Outwitnessed: My Shameful Testimony

Do you have a routine every morning?  I do.  Have you ever had a situation arise that was so totally out of the norm that it blindsided you?  I did.  Were you prepared at all?  I wasn't.

So there I was, at the gas station I stop at every morning.  I drove up to the pump, started filling up and went in for my cup of coffee.  Things were going as planned.  At least how I planned.

I pay for my cup of coffee and head out to my truck...and off to work for the day.  Or so I thought.

As I place the nozzle back in it's place and turn back towards my door, this man litterally  from around the side of the island and says, "Hi".  Kind of shocked and still not properly caffeinated I respond, "Hi!  How are you".  He responds to complete the greeting and proceeds to hand me a gospel tract.  After thanking him I said, "Wait, I have something for you and leaned in and grabbed a "Million Dollar Bill" for him.  I handed it to him and started to share the Gospel with him.  This is a summary of how the conversation went:

W.S. - Here's the million dollar question...what is going to happen to you when you die?"  

J.W.  - What's going to happen to you?

W.S. - Me?  Or all of humanity?

J.W. - Humanity

W.S. - Well, anyone who dies apart from Jesus Christ will receive the Justice of the Lord for their sins and the bible says they will go to hell.

J.W. - *Pause* And you?  

W.S - I have repented and placed my full trust in Jesus Christ who has paid the penalty for my sins.  I will go to heaven.  Jesus is the only way to heaven.

J.W. - Yes, Jesus is the only way to heaven.  Look right here on the front page of this book, it says "What will happen when you die".

This is when I looked down at the literature he had given me and noticed exactly what was going on.   On the back of the book towards the bottom were the words "The Watchtower" which I remember from a recent Way of the Master T.V. Show dedicated to talking about that particular "faith". 

Here's the problem.  I couldn't remember anything from the show.  I couldn't remember anything to ask him.  I knew he was totally prepared for me, but I wasn't prepared for him.  I choked.  I thanked him.  I moved on.

I was and continue to be ashamed.  I failed.  I wasn't prepared to give an account and 1-Peter 3:15 echoes in my mind.

1 Pet 3:15 (NAS)

"but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always {being} ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;"

But all Praise & Glory to the Lord!  He has used this to strengthen me, to make me desire Him more, to make me see Him more.  Do you know what he has taught me?   Do you know what the difference between a Jehova's Witness & a "regular old" (as Todd Friel said on last weeks WOTM radio) Christian is?  One word.

Jesus. 

Sure, the man agreed that Jesus was the only way to Heaven.  But what I neglected to ask him (and will next time) is "Who was Jesus?".  The Jehova's witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God.  They believe he is the Angel Michael.  

Here are some other facts about the Jehova's Witness that may prove valuable at your next encounter:

1. They don't believe in a literal hell
2. They don't believe the bible can be understood without the help of the watchtower organization.

I hope that by my failure in this situation others may be prepared in the future and all Glory will go to our amazing God!

-W.S.