Lemons: Part I

The adage “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” reminds one to make the most of a unique situation when it presents itself. This is true in the context of servant evangelism which can create unorthodox opportunities for the communication and demonstration of the gospel. As the incarnation of the gospel, the formative reality that “Jesus died in place of criminals and rose from the grave, proving He is God” should never be far from word or action.

Tuesday afternoon is my brief moment of rest in a whirlwind of a day. Just after getting home last Tuesday, the “Hey! Hey Caleb!” from my window was not entirely welcome. It was JP and Tyler. They begged me from the window come out to work on their "new" bike (which was found in an abandoned house). These young guys don’t have dads, and so I have put myself in a position to fill-in with fatherly help for these and several other guys. I decided to step out and serve them other than serving myself with a break.

While I pretended to know what I was doing on a bike that needed serious help, they asked me about their chances of getting baptized at Edgewater Beach. We were not alone in front of my apartment, and for whatever reason, one of the men out there decided to engage. "What does baptism do for you anyway? I never got that." In addition to JP, Tyler, and myself, there was this curious man (Dave), some other pot-smoking guy, a young mother and her baby, and JP's teen sister, Makayla. You could tell that everybody tuned in to hear where this was going. It cuts right to what - or Who - actually does the saving. "Baptism doesn't save you. Jesus does the saving, and baptism is that public commitment to follow Him… In other words, baptism doesn’t wash you. It shows that you’ve been washed." This idea of baptism as a pledge comes from 1 Peter 3:21 which I paraphrased.

The dialogue to this point created an opportunity for a crucial question. “Maybe you’ve been baptized, but have you ever been saved by Jesus?” It is interesting how JP and Tyler embraced that question with a “Yes” while others looked to sidestep its directness. Dave criticized the hypocrisy of church goers; he said that he has seen no change in himself or others who had “tried church.” (Obviously, he hasn’t yet heard my testimony!) "Dave, nobody is perfect or even close enough to get heaven on their own, especially JP here. That's why we need Jesus in our place. Church isn't for perfect people, but for people who need a Savior."

I see these individuals sitting outside of my apartment nearly every day, so to be sure, this dialogue has not ended. May the Spirit work in the hearts of Dave and the others that heard the gospel. May believers, myself included, take time to answer the call in the day-to-day opportunities to serve and speak life as Jesus followers. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”