Being prepared to give an answer

Every couple of months, the window cleaner will send me a text, telling me he’s going to turn up the following day, and asking me to leave access open, so he can get into the garden to clean the windows from the outside.

His name is Simon, and we always have a chat.

Just recently, I asked him to clean the inside of the windows, as well as the outsides, something he does just once or twice a year.

***

Inviting him into the house, he’s cleaning the window in my living room, while I’m in the kitchen, making a cup of tea, when he suddenly calls out. He’s spotted a photo of my brother and sister-in-law, which he’s clearly not noticed before.

“How are they doing?” he asks me, and I fill him in.

He proceeds to tell me that he knew them, when they used to live in the same city as me. He and they have children of similar ages, who went to the same school. Their houses were in the same neighbourhood, and he used to clean their windows too.

Then he asks an insightful question: “Your brother, did he ever work?” he asks me, inquisitively. “He always seemed to be around at home, with the children, and I could never figure out what he did for a living.”

Without hesitation, I start to tell him a story, one that will feature in my upcoming book, due to be published in Autumn 2021.

“My brother and sister-in-law were involved in a horrific car accident, some years ago,” I explain. “They are only alive because God saved their lives.” Simon looks at me blankly. “We’re from a Christian family,” I tell him, “and there were many people praying for them, in Jesus’ name.”

Before he can bat an eyelid, I am recalling the headlines of what happened, as well as some of the details, while frantically praying under my breath for God’s guidance in the conversation.

I also explain that, because of the severity of my brother’s head injury, he was retired early from the job he was in at the time of the accident, and he has not been able to work since. Hence why he is usually found at home, with the children.

And then: “Did prayer really make a difference?” he asks me.

“Absolutely,” I reply emphatically, before giving him some specific examples.

“I’ve never really thought about that before,” he muses. “I’m not really a religious man myself.”

“It’s the power in the name of Jesus that makes the difference,” I say, before giving him as simple an explanation as I know how to unpack what that means. I pause a moment, before continuing. “Why don’t I give you a copy of my book, once it’s published? Then you can read the story for yourself.”

“Sure,” he says, “I’d like that,” and then he carries on cleaning the windows, and I head off to drink my cup of tea.

***

Afterwards, I find myself reflecting.

In the Bible, in 1 Peter 3 verse 15, we read: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The conversation with Simon caught me off guard. I didn’t see his questions coming. I didn’t feel prepared.

But I was still able to give an answer to his questions, I was able to give him food for thought, based on Christian hope. And I’m trusting that I did so with gentleness and respect.

***

How many of us have seemingly innocuous conversations, with the ‘familiar strangers’ in our lives, without ever bringing faith into what we’re talking about? How easy would it be to do so, if only we might be willing to seize the opportunities with which we’re presented, showing gentleness and respect? And what food for thought might that generate?

As ever, if you have examples of times when you’ve done similar, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

Photo by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash