Dangerous Minds

Bible Reading of the Day: Read Ephesians 4:17-23.

Verse of the Day: "Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life" (Ephesians 4:21-22).

Sonya got out of the truck and followed her dad up the sidewalk. He ran his own heating and cooling business. She rode with him while he made several stops to check people's furnaces.

"Dad," Sonya said as they walked, "I didn't get very far talking to Jerri." Jerri was one of Sonya's classmates, a girl she had invited to church. "She says we all have to worship our own god and find our own version of truth."

Dad nodded as they climbed the steps of the house and rang the doorbell. The door was opened immediately, and an elderly man let Dad and Sonya in.

Dad took one step inside the door, then turned to his daughter. "Sonya, wait for me in the truck." Then he turned to the man without closing the door behind him. "The first thing I need to do is open every window in the house," he told the man. "Then I'll take a look at your problem."

Sonya hesitated, then turned and walked back to the truck. About a half hour later, Dad returned to the truck and climbed in.

"I'm sorry to make you wait in the truck," Dad said. "But as soon as I stepped into that house, I smelled propane. Propane is a gas, and it can be very dangerous, especially in closed spaces. I didn't want to put you in any danger."

"Is everything OK now?" Sonya asked.

Dad nodded. "Everything's fine. We opened all the windows, and I fixed the leak. I'm glad they recognized the problem, because they were living in a very dangerous situation."

"That's how I feel about Jerri," Sonya said, returning to their earlier conversation. "I feel like she really needs God, but she won't listen to anything I say."

Dad smiled. "Just keep trying," he said. "But it does sound like she's closed her mind to the truth—at least for the time being. And a closed mind can be as dangerous as a closed house, if it's got the wrong stuff inside it."

"I'm still praying for her," Sonya said.

"That's good," Dad said. "Just pray that God will help her to open her mind to the truth. A mind can only be opened from the inside. Only God can do that." "I hope he does," Sonya said. "Me too," Dad added.

TO DO: Make plans to share your faith with someone who doesn't know Jesus. Talk over ways to be sensitive to that person and faithful to God.

TO PRAY: "Father, thank you for revealing the truth to us through your Son, Jesus. Help us to know the truth, and to live it and share it with others."