What-A-Jesus at Whataburger

Well I’m sitting in Whataburger waiting for my little brother to get done with his exams and I can’t help but smile at the group sitting diagonal to me. It’s a group of about 10 to 12 older people, probably an average age of 65 or 70. They are here every Tuesday. They laugh and talk about the most random things, food, friends, how it was in the “old days,” and life in general. Today as I sat eating my biscuit and writing in my journal I heard a scratchy voice say “excuse me, young lady.” I looked up to see the whole table looking at me. “Yes ma’am,” I said rather hesitantly. She smiled sweetly at me and said, “Can you help us with something?” I thought for a second, my biscuit is really good and I’m kinda in the middle of something, but you know what’s a few minutes of my time? So I answered her with a “sure, I’d be happy to.” The rest of the conversation I can’t even believe myself.

LADY: “We noticed you have a Bible there”
ME: “Yes ma’am”
LADY: “You don’t see many young people carrying Bibles to Whataburger with them”
ME: “Yes ma’am, I know, most young people are afraid of how it would affect their image.”
LADY: “You’re not?”
ME: “No ma’am, I’m confident in Christ, he is the essence of who I am.”

She then walked over and sat at my table while the rest of her group back where there conversations had left off.

LADY: “How old are you, young lady?”
ME: “I’m 18.”
LADY: “18? You don’t talk like and 18 year old!”
ME: “Well thank you”
LADY: “Will you tell me what you see in God that makes you brave enough to read your Bible in public without fear of criticism?”

I’m thinking to myself FOR REAL?! What the heck do I say?! O my gosh, ok God here it goes but you seriously have to show up cause I have no clue what I’m doing!

ME: “O wow where to begin?! The reason I don’t care what people think about me reading my Bible is because I know what they think really doesn’t matter. I mean God sent His Son for me- not only did he send Him He sent Him to die for me. What an amazing God! Jesus took all my hurt, shame, inadequacy, failure, and sin onto Himself; He gave me life. The fact that he would do all that for me makes worrying about a little criticism seem kinda silly.”
LADY: “I have been in church all my life and never once has anyone spoke about Jesus with as much passion as you did just now”
ME: “Well he changed my life. Because of that I am confident in the fact that no matter what people say about me or how much I mess up he still loves me, and as I’ve grown up I’ve realized that’s all that really matters.”
LADY: “Thank you.”
ME: “For what?”
LADY: “For showing me Jesus”

The rest of her group had already started to filter out. She got up, smiled at me, and left. I sat there for a second in awe. I have to say that was a first for me. I don’t even know her name. I still can’t believe it. What if I had decided it was too much of an inconvenience to answer her question? I never would have been able to show someone Jesus. What-A-Jesus.








James 4:7-10 (the message)
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.