The Postage Virgin

While at the UPS Store mailing a package, a kid (19 I found out later) came in with his mom to mail an enevelope.  As the conversation between the teen and the cashier developed, it became obvious that he had absolutely no idea what postage was, what the difference between envelopes was, and that postage was to pay for mailing and delivery of the package. 

"How much for this one?" the young man asked as he held up a letter-sized envelope.  "Forty four cents," the cashier answered.  "What about this one?" the teen asked, holding up a five-by-eight inch bubble-lined envelope.  "Sixty eight," the cashier stated.  "But that one was forty four," the teen responded.  "That one's bigger and has padding, so you can put more into it.  It's larger and might be heavier, so it's more."

The boy looked toward his mom standing next to me, his gaze saying, "Is this true?" without saying a word.

I gave his mom a look like, what gives? and she said, "All he does is text and Tweet and Facebook and email and spend all his time on his gaming so he's never needed to mail anything."  Without thinking, I blurted out, "Oh, so he's a postage virgin," realizing immediately that I should have chosen my words more carefully or just kept my mouth shut. 

"Yes, I suppose so!" mom exclaimed.  This was her son's first experience purchasing a stamp and envelope.  At 19 years old!  Snail mail was totally foreign to the kid.

How it is for those who have never heard the Gospel.

As followers of Christ, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). 

The first thing that came to mind after I blurted out the "virgin" comment, was what the Apostle Paul said in Romans:  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"  (10:14-15)

Last weekend, we heard a great true-life story about a man that was skeptical about Christ.  But while helping a neighbor with a fencing project, the Gospel was shared with him during the project.  A few months later, the skeptic declared Jesus as his Lord and Savior and was baptised with his wife.

What if the Gospel hadn't been shared during the neighbor's time together?  What if the neighbor had decided to not speak up for fear of embarassment?  Or to avoid the subject altogether?  That the man was a "lost cause?"  

We must always remember that our choices to act, or not to act, have eternal consequences.  Could we also start making disciples of all neighborhoods?  I think so!   

What can you (I) do to deepen a friendship or serve someone, being a great example of a Christ follower? 

Is our fear of rejection or embarassment greater than our love for Christ?  If so, what are the eternal consequences?