4

Foxx forced his legs not to jiggle. Of all the Sundays in a year, why had he invited Pepper to visit worship service on evangelism Sunday? He’d need to pay close attention to field her questions later. Lord, please fill her with Your love. This is all new, as You were once new to me. Prepare her heart and give me boldness to answer any questions she might have.

“What we call the Romans Road begins with the truth. As all scripture is truth.”

Foxx tuned back in to the pastor.

“Everyone needs salvation because all people have sinned. We’ve prepared a booklet for you if you didn’t receive it on your way in. I’ll open with prayer and then we’ll dig in.”

Foxx prayed along, pleading for Pepper’s soul. You know the heavy background she must have. I believe You are provident. Pepper didn’t move to Garland by mistake. We didn’t meet by happenstance. She isn’t here with me today by circumstance. Work through me, Lord. He opened his eyes and listened to the message.

“The Bible teaches that every person is guilty before God due to choices made eons ago in the Garden of Eden. We all fall short of where God created man to be. Romans 3:23 says ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ You can read it on the screen or turn to your own New Testaments.”

Foxx opened the Bible app on his phone and showed Pepper.

“All means absolutely every man, woman, and child. All. It doesn’t matter if you were born in a homeless shelter in a major city, or reside in our Governor’s Mansion. All includes everyone. We inherited our sin nature from the first man and woman. Every single one of us.”

Foxx anticipated what was next and scrolled to Romans 6:23.

“The writing is on the wall, folks. It’s real. Death is real. Eternal life is real, be it heaven or hell. ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ If any one of you has questions, please seek out a familiar face, or come to me after the service. Your eternal destiny is at stake.”

The screen changed to the third verse. “An unbelievable fact is stated in Romans 5:8. It’s mind-boggling. It’s humbling. It’s true. ‘But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’”

Foxx whispered, “Thank You, Lord.”

Pastor Willie stepped out from behind the lectern to the edge of the stage. He held his arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height. “Jesus is the only answer. No matter where you began life, as a citizen of the United States, in another country in an opposing religion, there is only one way to God the Father. And that way is by believing sin is real. Acknowledge Jesus as Lord and trust that He died on the cross.”

The auditorium was so quiet that Foxx didn’t want to breathe.

“But the story doesn’t end there. In a few short months, we’ll celebrate Easter. Christ Jesus rose on the third day.”

Pepper had gone unnaturally still. Foxx focused on her shallow, fast breathing, now he heard nothing. In fact, the whole auditorium was still. Though they knew the story, people listened. The Good News of the Bible was the most exciting news in the whole world.

“God gives us a lot to unpack in Romans 10:8-9. ‘If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’” Pastor lowered his arms. “‘For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.’ And then if you look down at verse thirteen, we are assured of salvation, that’s forever and ever, folks.”

Oh, my Lord, this is a lot for Pepper to take in. I don’t think she’s been exposed to Your marvelous grace.

Pastor went on. “If you have never faced that fact and made the life-changing decision, call on the Lord now. Believe and tell others of the peace we have as being no longer condemned for our sin.”

Foxx jotted down the other references Pastor mentioned in Romans, to help if the unsaved or new believer had other questions. Lord, again, I will need Your help with Pepper. It’s easy to talk about You. I don’t have a problem giving You credit for my changed life. She needs You just as much.

Pastor Willie asked the congregation to stand.

Pepper remained seated.

Foxx touched her elbow. He smiled into her eyes. Her disoriented expression cleared in a blink and she rose to stand next to him.

“The answers are in the verses. You can surely remember a few clear words if you don’t have them memorized.” Pastor waited out the chuckles. “Admit. Understand. Believe. Repent. Receive. Almost too simple, but today is the day of salvation. Let’s sing ‘Amazing Grace.’ Acapella.”

Moisture in his eyes surprised Foxx. He was taken aback when Pepper joined in on the second verse, thanks to a quick operator at the sound board who put the words on the screen. He swallowed. Had it been a mistake to bring Pepper?

I chose Pepper to be here today.

~*~

Pepper’s head swam with words and bullet points. It took three blinks for her eyes to clear and denote the trees beyond her window. Back to the brochure.

“Salvation comes from faith alone, in Christ alone.” Foxx had put the whole sermon in a sentence as he walked her to the door following the service.

Her mind was full with so much to take in that she’d turned down his invitation to lunch. Fiesta bean dip, lettuce, and chips on her plate held no appeal while reading through the brochure. Each bullet point had a verse to go with it, but her concentrated focus landed on the “to-dos.”

Could the business of salvation, of becoming a Christian, be so simple? She’d have to “unpack it,” as the pastor had said. Still so many questions. What exactly was evangelism? What’s justification? Note to self, look up the words online. At least, salvation had become clearer. Saved from eternal damnation. Did the average person believe such a place as hell existed?

Foxx had said he’d help her with any question. If he couldn’t find the answer, they’d go to Pastor Willie.

One. Admit you are a sinner. Temptation to steal or to hurt another had never been in her repertoire. She’d lifted only what others had thrown away, but bitterness toward her parents loomed large. Pepper swallowed a sour mouthful of dryness, and then crossed her right foot over her left ankle. Switched to the opposite.

Was selfishness to survive considered a sin? Ever since running away from her parents, living for herself had been the main focus of survival.

Two. Understand that as a sinner, you deserve death. She’d naturally heard of heaven and was used to hearing hell used as a curse word. Never before had a personal afterlife been considered. Only survival.

Three. Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from sin and death. Somewhere at Easter she’d seen pictures of a bleeding Son of God hanging on a cross. Was it true He was honestly God’s Son? Salt Creek Community had been filled that morning with a thousand people who undoubtedly took the statement as fact.

Four. Repent by turning from your old life of sin to a new life in Christ. Pastor had demonstrated this by walking one way on stage, and then turning to head the opposite direction. Did an old life of sin exist? Were most people really that bad?

She had kept her gaze on Pastor as they sang the closing song. He’d opened his eyes following the last words. “And grace will lead me home.”

What was grace? Where is home besides this wonderful little house that she called her own? Grrr, too many questions.

Every person had been handed a brochure on the Romans Road as they wound their way out of Salt Creek Community. Foxx had greeted, and introduced her to scads of smiling, happy people. According to Pastor Willie and Foxx, a few more Romans verses were listed. She’d seen the Bible on Foxx’s phone, but preferred to hold a book.

That thought diverted her to memory. How she and Pink had never been picked up by authorities for not going to school was a mystery in this day and age. Would the sisters ever get over the hurt, the secrecy, of the way they’d learned to read? Mom read magazines daily, those thrown in the trash, but the girls couldn’t read. However, Mom had allowed the girls to visit a nearby Laundromat, where they’d watched closed caption TV and put words together with the speaking images. Pepper must have been hungrier than Pink. She’d picked up on the patterns of letters that formed sounds right away and taught herself to make sense of words. Before long, sneaking away to the library at every possible chance turned into a habit, and then Pink joined her. They matched images with pictures and learned words and simple sentences from toddler books. They went on to young adult novels in a few months.

Pepper closed the chip bag and noted the last point in the brochure.

Five. Receive, through faith in Christ Jesus, God’s free gift of salvation. Could a prayer be all there was to it?

She hoped to find a Bible during her next thrift shop stop. Belief would involve serious study time before her heart could be swayed by such a story.

Why would God want her anyway?

You are my child.