This past weekend was the move-in weekend for SSU students. Class started today, and the semester finally has started!
On Sunday Associated Students put on essentially what is a giant party for the students. In our main quad there was a maze, a jump house, a giant slide, and all the clubs, sororities, and fraternities promoting themselves. Inside the Student Union there was a comedy show put on our resident comedy club (Improvaholics), free pottery painting, and a US Bank Free Stuff Giveaway (its the only bank on campus). Amidst all this, our little InterVarsity table was thriving!
I only spent about an hour and a half at Big Nite (the thing lasts until 2 AM!), but I got to hand out our event cards and try to rope people into talking to me about their faith backgrounds. I met a transfer student named Elliot who was so excited that we had off campus bible studies that you would think that I just told him that he won the lottery. I made another group of freshman happy by telling them that we do church tours. My favorite was when a freshman girl walked up to the table and asked if InterVarsity was "youth group for college." HA!
In addition to these fun and excited little stories, we each had our share of brush-offs and rejections. There was a group of women next to us promoting the Ultimate Frisbee team as I was handing out our event cards. There was a lull in people walking by, and so I decided to break the awkward moment between the Frisbee girl and myself. Smiling and asking politely if she would like an event card, I extend my hand so she can look at it. Upon seeing words like faith and bible study,
she looks me straight in the eye and curtly says, "I don't believe in God. Nice try, though."
Wishing her luck on her recruiting, I quickly retreated back to my side of the walkway. I wondered if she had been hurt by the church, or if she though that I was a fool for following after something that I cannot physically see, hold, or feel. I wonder if she automatically decided not to like me.
Later the next day, I was reading John and was reminded that we Christians have been fully and fairly warned about persecution and this type of disdain:
I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not know the Father, nor me. I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them.
John 16:1-4
I sure am glad that Jesus lets us in on what is before us. He sure did warn us about persecution, as did Paul. Events like these remind me that there is such a need to speak of God's goodness at any chance I get. Unfortunately this particular situation did not allow one to start up an in depth conversation, but I truly am praying that others do come up. What a treasure we have in these earthen vessels. Please be praying for the Ultimate girl. Please be praying for me as well, that opportunity to speak of Grace and Love abounds this next year.
