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October 23, 2022

Never underestimate the power of a kind word or a prayer. A few months ago, God impressed upon me that I needed to be more upfront about initiating conversations about Jesus, so among other things, I decided that whenever I had some sort of business transaction, I would ask the person if there were anything for which they would like prayer. My first opportunity to put this into practice happened while Linda and I were having dinner at one of the Olive Gardens in Buffalo. 

After being served, as I handed our waiter payment, I asked if there were anything he would like us to pray for. I was unprepared for the urgency of his response. He had a newborn baby, and as he put it, “did something stupid,” and was quite worried there would be some pretty serious legal consequences. It was pretty clear that whatever it was, he was genuinely sorry and that it was something at least somewhat out of character for him. We promised to pray for him, and did…repeatedly. A few days later, I wrote to him, care of the restaurant, asking the manager to forward my note to him. Other than continuing to pray for him, that was the end of it. Or so I thought.

This evening, Linda and I were relaxing in our back room when I got a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize. “Mr. Bailey?” the voice asked tentatively from the other end. When I affirmed that he had the right number, he stated his name, telling me that he had recently moved and while going through some of his things came across the letter I had written him. Apparently, I had included my phone number in case he wanted to talk.

“I want to thank you for your prayers,” he said. “It meant more to me than you can know.” When I asked how his daughter was doing, he told me she is ahead of things on the developmental charts. He asked me where I went to church, so I told him. Had we lived in the Buffalo area, I’m certain he would have come to church with us. “I’m attending a Baptist church in Eden,” he said. 

When the call ended, I turned to Linda. “You’ll never believe this!” Tonight, I am grateful for this young man’s phone call; it really made my day, and reminded me how even passing acquaintances can become avenues of eternal consequences if we’re merely available to the Lord. Years ago, Ron Hutchcraft held evangelistic meetings in our area. In the training times, he shared what he called the “Three-Open Prayer:” Open the door, Open their heart, and Open my mouth.” Months ago at Olive Garden, God answered that prayer in ways I couldn’t have foreseen, and because of it, tonight my heart is full.