I learned about two years ago that texting is a great way to communicate with older kids. It’s less disruptive for them to receive a quick message than a call if they’re busy. It also cuts to the heart of conversation.
My favorite texting exchange of the week goes to my son Dan, a college sophomore. Our conversation went like this:
Dan: I ran into a Gideon, today. Haha.
Me: Did you take a Bible? They are a good group of men. Salt of the earth.
Dan: I did take a Bible. He was standing in the rain and he reminded me of our friend Bob so I had to. And if I take one I can flash it to the other guys so I don’t seem like I’m rejecting them.
Me: Was it green or orange? And have you read Psalms lately? Good stuff when feeling frustrated about life.
Dan: They are green, handed out by super old guys. They’re great!
Me: Amazing. Cold and wet for Jesus. Now that’s dedication!
They certainly stand out: impeccably-dressed retirees, usually positioned in high traffic areas where people come and go. How easy it was for me to imagine the team at Dan’s university, a clean-shaven, smartly suited group with genuine smiles and small green books in their hands.
Members of Gideons International are always dressed to serve their King and quietly appear for no other reason than to place into our hands God’s words of love, as found in the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. The materials are always pocket-sized and free. The men are polite and enlist no religious rhetoric, pressure, or coercion.
It’s what Gideons International is all about: making Scripture available to everyone by standing in the human traffic lanes of life. What you do with God’s Word and how you respond is up to you.
Founded in 1899, Gideons International serves as a missionary arm of the church and is the oldest Christian business and professional men’s organization in the United States. This year an international board of Christian laymen will oversee the distribution of Bibles in 179 countries and in 82 languages, making use of 140,000 volunteers who will pass out one Bible every two seconds.
As I imagined Dan talking with a Gideon, I was reminded of a sweet exchange a couple of years ago.
“Beautiful day! Might you be interested in receiving a free New Testament?” I was asked. Their approach was as simple and sweet as that.
“You can keep it in the glove compartment of your car and it fits great in the pocket of a kid’s backpack!” I was additionally informed. I could even have more than one as there were plenty to go around.
Outstretched hands and glad smiles. Short, sunny interchanges even on rainy days. Generations gently touching for brief moments in ways that seem too easy. That’s because it can be. In spite of their formal appearances, Gideon volunteers are able to pass out New Testaments filled with God’s message to us all: His love is for everyone.
