8 year old boldness!

One of my wife's students ended up in the psych hospital after another "cutting incident" a few days ago, so we went by to visit her last night. My wife went in and I headed over to the Sprint store to check on a new phone.

Sprint was closed...so I drove back on over to Cedar Springs (local psych hospital). As I was backing into a parking spot by a big open grassy area next to a picnic table, I notice an older lady and a little boy at the picnic table. As I was backing in...I hear the little boy say "Hi!". I look over and say "Hi...how are you doing?". "Good" he says.

I hop out of the car and go sit down at the table. I say "Hi, I'm Keith." He extends his hand for a handshake and says "Hi, I'm Joe (not his real name)". Then he starts showing me his brand new Broncos jersey and then goes into detail showing me his football helmet that he hand painted from memory, with a GREAT caricature of the Broncos logo on the side!

He and grandma were there waiting for his mom to finish up a visit with Joe's 17 year old big brother who's being treated for schizophrenia. Pray for that 17 year old.

I notice a football in the grass and I ask "Is that your football?" He says "Yeah! Want to catch?" So we walk over and start tossing the ball back and forth. I'm thinking to myself..."So...is it right to throw down the Gospel to an 8 year old kid with his grandma sitting 25ft from us that who knows what she might say? Hmmm...how can I open up this conversation to an 8 year old without freaking him and/or his grandma out?"

We're tossing it back and forth and he goes "Hey throw it ahead of me so I can run for it!". This kid is the most outgoing little bugger I've ever met! He comes running back and says...

"Hey...are you a Christian? I am!"

I kinda muttered..."Um, yeah I sure am."

Doh! This little 8 year old kiddo beat me to the punch! How AWESOME is that!?

Then Joe asks "You want to take a break? Let's go sit down."

We go sit down and well...the conversation is now wide open so I start talking to Grandma. She's only been saved for 3 years, came out of the Catholic Church, Jesus got a hold of her through her daughter and now they all attend church together.

We then started talking about sharing the Gospel. She was a little hesitant...I remembered I had a brand new copy of "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" in the car, I grabbed it and we went over the Winning, Winning, Winning concept and she was hooked. I gave her the book and she promised to read it asap.

She asked me to write my contact info in the book...I did, her daughter came out from visiting her son we all chat for a few and they head home...and I sit there amazed at the unfettered, unashamed boldness of this 8 year old boy. Then these things start running around in my head about coming to Jesus as little children...what a lesson I just learned.