My friend Bill Gori who lives in the Adirondack Mountains not far from the Canadian border sent along some funny classified ads the other day, including one that I could especially identify with. It was about a fellow advertising free puppies: “Half Cocker Spaniel and half sneaky neighbor’s dog.”
Another fellow’s advertisement for free puppies said the “mother was a registered purebred while the father was a ‘Super Dog,’ able to leap tall fences in a single bound.”
I experienced just such a situation myself not so long ago, unexpectedly ending up with a litter of eight cute little beagle pups.
Work was taking me out of town a good bit, and I was thinking these puppies were going to be an unwelcome complication. Not so. My 8-year-old nephew, Fisher Alford, stepped up to look after the puppies while I was gone.
And a rabbit hunter from South Carolina, responding to an ad I put on the United Kennel Club website, called to tell me he wants all of the puppies. He’ll be driving several hours to pick them up.
I haven’t yet met the fellow. But I feel certain the Lord has put him in my path for a reason, and he is using these unexpected puppies to allow me to share the Gospel.
If he already knows Jesus, I’ll hope to be an encouragement to him. Either way, the puppies will have served a worthy purpose.
God’s word provides great examples of people who intentionally sought to share the Gospel with others.
In the Book of Acts, Philip went into the desert to meet up with an Ethiopian. Philip climbed aboard the man’s chariot, explained the way of salvation, introduced him to Christ and baptized him, all in short order.
All the early church leaders were just as fervent when it came to evangelism, taking seriously the Great Commission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. They took advantage of every opportunity to tell others the Good News.
I consider it kind of cool that an unexpected litter of beagles and a classified ad could potentially give me an opportunity to share the Gospel. Life’s surprises can be great opportunities to tell others about the Lord. Are you selling furniture, a car? Are you hosting a yard sale? That classified ad you post could open doors to God-ordained opportunities for you to share Christ.
Sometimes responding to such an ad also could also put you right where the Lord needs you. That’s clear from some other humorous ads Bill shared, including one that offered a “WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE. Worn once by mistake.” Or another that offered a “COMPLETE SET OF ENCYCLOPEDIAS. No longer needed. Got married. Wife knows everything.”
Sounds like those folks could use a kind Christian to come alongside them.
Roger Alford of Owenton, Kentucky, offers words of encouragement to residents of America's heartland. Reach him at rogeralford1@gmail.com.
