One lay leader and a partner in north India visited a village where they had never been before. They found a family interested in hearing about the God who made the world. The two men shared a Bible story with the family. The family liked the discussion. The men didn’t preach, but simply shared the story, then asked questions about it, including the most important one, “If this story were true, how would you apply it to your life?”
The neighbours noticed
The family asked the men to return another time. They did. The meetings became regular. The neighbours began to notice. They heard the songs that started the meetings. They began hanging out near the door and windows. They liked the Bible stories too.
One such neighbour, a lady, entered the home. She sat and listened to the story. She liked the discussion and the prayer. She began attending regularly. Unfortunately, her husband didn’t like her going to these meetings. He beat her after each one. He had no job and was drunk all the time. She kept attending the meetings, though, in spite of the beatings.
But first…
Finally, one day, she looked at her husband and said, “Fine. You don’t want me to go to these meetings? I won’t go. But first, you have to attend a meeting with me one time. If you don’t like it, when it’s done you can beat me again. But, at least go one time.”
So, he did. He got drunk first, but he went. He fidgeted. He glared at the leaders. He left in a huff. But, when it was all over, he didn’t beat his wife.
The next week, he attended the meeting again. This time, he wasn’t drunk. When the meeting was done, he told the leaders that he wanted to follow the God of those stories. He was tired of drinking all the time. He wanted a new life. And so, this family is now changed. The husband no longer beats his wife. He’s stopped drinking. They are learning from the Bible. Their lives are new.
(The original story was shortened.)
Source: Beyond
