The business meeting

A 27-year-old man came to the door yesterday for a meeting of the business variety. I usually keep a firewall between business and gospel functions-to my shame. Our conversation in the kitchen started off normal enough, with papers splayed over the table as the representative, his ID around his neck, went through the motions prescribed by the home office.

But there was an accent, and I learned he was from "Dominican," as he called it. And you can't very well talk about "Dominican" without talking about Haiti, and you can't talk about Haiti without talking about spiritual things.

He was receptive (and there was a lot of paperwork) so I probed further and asked if he was a Christian. He said he believed in a Higher Power. I said it wasn't enough to get him into heaven.

He wasn't insulted yet, so I mentioned a few Scriptures that were germane to our conversation, and then asked if he would like to own a Bible. He said yes, so I got up and went into the other room thinking I would have to part with one of my well-worn, well-loved Bibles, but willing to do that for the Kingdom cause and for Angelo (we were doing first names by now). To my surprise I found a Spanish Bible, "Biblia de las Americas," that a Peruvian woman had given me, still virginal on the shelf.

Angelo was surprised by my find and asked how I came to possess it. I told him it was a gift given to me but evidently intended for him. When Angelo left, I felt sated like Jesus after the encounter at Jacob's well, so glad for the success of this particular business meeting.