Waiting Witnesses

Is it possible to witness by doing absolutely nothing? I would probably say no if I hadn’t personally seen a group of kids do exactly that. 

It was my daughter’s fourteenth birthday party. Having just moved to Idaho a couple months earlier, we invited a handful of kids she had met at church to join us for some roller skating and pizza. 

I smiled as I watched Sierra and her new friends laughing and acting silly as they circled the skating rink. Our move to Idaho had been the first one Sierra had ever experienced. The idea of leaving her old friends behind had traumatized her. Now, though we barely knew the girls she was skating with, we sensed that she was going to be OK. 

Soon Sierra’s group was called to the party room, and as the teenagers settled into the booths that lined the room, I moved into “mom mode,” making sure everyone had everything they needed. 

The party host helped me serve the pizza onto paper plates and pass it out to our guests. As I handed out the last plate I noticed everyone was sitting and looking at their pizza, but no one was eating it. They were chatting pleasantly with each other, but no one had touched their pizza. 

Ah, water! I thought. They’re probably too thirsty from skating to think about eating until they get some water! I poured out the ice-cold water from the glass pitcher into the plastic cups, and the party host helped me distribute the drink. 

Still the kids sat pleasantly talking but not partaking of the food in front of them. I passed out napkins and asked if anyone wanted forks. But nothing was prompting the kids to eat. 

What am I missing? I asked myself. Then it hit me. I’d been so concerned with making sure everyone was served that I had completely forgotten to offer a blessing over the food. 

I got everyone’s attention and offered a special birthday prayer for my daughter. “Dear God, thank You for 14 years with Sierra. Thank You for bringing us safely to Idaho, and thank You for bringing these new friends into Sierra’s life. Thank You also for the pizza we are about to eat. Amen.” 

As the party host and I spent the rest of the evening chatting, I glanced over at the teens who were devouring the pizza as they laughed and goofed around. They had no idea that their actions—or should I say inactions—had opened the way for the non-Christian party host to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

Thank You, God, I prayed silently, that Sierra’s new friends are living witnesses for You.