Sunday afternoon, as we left church, we noticed two men standing on the sidewalk beside a small portable booth. They had a special offer: “Watch a three-minute video about how animals are treated, and we’ll give you a free chocolate.”

It was a good day—pleasant weather, no rush—and yet, we held back. We assumed the video would be about animal cruelty, and that’s not something we wanted to watch. So we walked away.

But as we did, I felt a quiet regret settle in.

You see, the previous week I had been teaching a class on reaching Hindus with the Gospel. One of the foundational principles is this: we must first enter their world.

It would have been simple to enter the world of these two young men. Just three minutes to see what they were passionate about.

The second principle I had taught was about equal sharing. As Christians, we’re often known for being poor listeners. But I could have listened to them—and then gently asked, “Can I share one of my favourite websites with you?” That would have created some equality in the interaction.

But I didn’t. And that bothers me.

Especially when I contrast my actions to those of Philip. God sent him to a desert road where he noticed an Ethiopian reading aloud from the book of Isaiah—clearly puzzled by what it meant. When Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” the Ethiopian eagerly invited him into his chariot. He listened carefully as Philip explained the good news. The Ethiopian believed the Gospel and was baptized. Because Philip stepped into his world at just the right moment, the Gospel found a foothold in Ethiopia, leaving a legacy that continues to this day.

I wonder what might have happened if I had taken just a few minutes to listen to those two activists. Who knows? Maybe they would have taken the Gospel into the animal rights movement.

But I’ll never know.

What opportunities is God opening for you to interact with people from different social groups? Will you take a step into their world—so that, in time, you may share the Gospel?

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