Sunday, June 2, 2024

Some very bad news

I saw Jack a while back when I was doing the zone, in grocery.  He came up to me very slowly pushing a cart, seemed very feeble - reminded me of Ron his last year.  He told me he had various new health problems including congestive heart failure, and was now on a heart monitor.  We chatted and he went on his way.  

God impressed it on me I needed to send him an encouraging text every day.  How much Ron would have loved that if his friends did it!  He didn't get that but I can be that person.  So I did it sometimes and then more frequently lately.  He seemed to enjoy them and would often "hit me back" with a smile emoji or something.  

Over the years I had given him about all the evangelism stuff I had, Bibles, tracts, Scripture booklets, but last we spoke theology he basically told me he felt he was going to Heaven because he had been a good guy in life.  

That's not how it works.  

Friday night an unknown number called me twice, and then sent me a text message it was Jack's daughter.  I called her back a couple times but kept going to voicemail.  I texted her today something along the lines of "I'm afraid you have bad news for me, I'm praying I'm wrong" with the crying emoji.  

I am 99% certain he is gone.  He just gave up after his wife, and then his beloved dog, died within a few months of each other.  

It's very hard for me as an evangelist because I don't know his salvation status.  I wonder could I have said or done something different?  

There is a pain, as an evangelist, when someone you care about isn't saved and it is even worse when they die.  

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