“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6, KJV).

 

aybe in God’s knowledge and providence, and because of His working, it was perfect timing. At the time, I wasn’t so sure.

 

Recently I went back to school to study art. My favorite class was Art History. The professor, Marie, had her Ph.D. and had taught and traveled in Europe.

 

As Marie lectured one day on the religious art of Egypt, and the beliefs the Egyptians had in gods and goddesses, one of my classmates seemed very interested in the lecture. She asked a lot of questions, and seemed interested in and familiar with these ancient deities. I couldn’t stop thinking of her during class for fear that she was involved in some type of deity worship.

 

After class we ended up walking beside each other in the parking lot. I didn’t know her or her name, but I felt impressed to talk to her. I didn’t want to offend her or do something that was none of my business; nevertheless, I somehow managed to approach her.

 

“Do you believe in those gods and goddesses we were studying about?”

 

She commented that she did. She was studying and interested in ancient deities. She mentioned that she was involved in the Wiccan religion, and had just started associating with people of the Wiccan beliefs. She had even practiced some of their exercises. I believe she had been raised Christian, but was searching for something that in her mind had more meaning.

 

I mentioned as best I could about Lucifer and the controversy between good and evil. We discussed religion and Christian thought, and why she was turned off by Christian views. I explained about Christ being the true way, but I didn’t feel my comments had gotten very far. She really didn’t believe in good versus evil, and she felt that the Wiccans practiced only good rituals and beliefs. I was earnestly concerned, but I think she was a little put off at me for “preaching” to her.

 

I drove home feeling as if I shouldn’t have tried to talk to her—at least not until I knew her, and had established some rapport. Yet I prayed for her while I was driving home, telling God to help her see what I was trying to show her.

 

The next morning I got up early and drove up the mountain to work. As I walked into the lounge of the hospital, where I worked with my father, I was stunned by what I saw on television: the almost surreal shock of 9-11.

 

After that, I don’t remember seeing the girl in class. I thought she may have dropped out. Or maybe she was avoiding me. However, one day later in the year she approached me. I was afraid to talk to her because I thought she might be upset with me. She came up to me and, to my amazement, asked me if I remembered her. She thanked me for talking to her, and said that she went home that evening and woke up the very next morning to September 11. She told me that it was with horror that she saw the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. She said that suddenly everything I had said to her made sense. She said she made a decision to leave the Wiccan beliefs, and found a job helping assist at the nearby church preschool in which she had enrolled her child. She was getting involved in the church, and was staying close to Christian people.

 

It was OK that I had made an embarrassment of myself in the parking lot to express to her my concern. I don’t always have the perfect faith. But what I’ve come to realize is that when we align ourselves with God’s will and what He impresses upon us through His Spirit, God does work through us. When we truly care about someone and then share what we know and believe, with Christ we can help make a difference.

 

____________________________