(Jim Forrest)

Let me tell you about little boys. They are like camels. They can play all day and never think about a drink of water. They can run around out in the hot sun, and a drink of water never enters their little minds. But at night, as soon as their head hits the pillow, "Can I have a drink of water?"

One night my three-year-old and I went through our regular bedtime routine. I read him a story, listened to his prayers, gave him a good-night hug, answered a dozen questions and finally, after the fourth or fifth "good-night," I slipped out of the room. Finally, after a long hard day, I could sit down and relax.

It was nice and quiet for all of five minutes, when suddenly, "Daddy, can I have a drink of water?" I knew he was not thirsty and was just wanting a little more attention before going to sleep, so I said, "Son, get quiet and go to sleep!" It was silent for a couple of minutes, then just a little louder than before, "Daddy, can I please have a drink of water?" "Son, hush up in there and go to sleep!"

He was quiet again, but it did not last any longer than before. "Daddy, please can I have a drink of water?" "Son, if I hear one more sound out of that room, I am going to spank you!" You could hear a pin drop. The silence was thick. But suddenly he called out, "Daddy, when you come in here to spank me, would you bring me a drink of water?" Now I knew he was thirsty.

How did I know? Because he was consistent and persistent. This is what Christ teaches us concerning prayer. In Luke 18:1-7, through a parable, Christ tells us to be consistent and persistent when we pray. In this parable the judge refused to grant the woman's petition, but she was consistent and persistent, until finally the judge gave her what she wanted. Why? "Lest by her continual coming she weary me!" Some of the modern translations say, "Lest she wear me out." She was consistent and persistent.

Jesus goes on to tell His disciples God will grant the petitions of those who "cry out day and night unto Him" - those who are persistent in their prayers. Maybe you have a prayer in your heart, and you have petitioned the Lord time and again on this particular request, but you have not received your answer: do not give up! Christ tells us to be persistent. Why? Because like the little boy and the drink of water, He wants to make sure we are really "thirsty." Not for His sake, but our own! God hears our prayers; He knows our needs. Do not give up! Be consistent and persistent.

(Bill Hall)

"Nobody's Perfect," the bumper sticker proclaimed. But it wasn't on a bumper; it was on (of all places) some bathroom scales. Now, I like that. Don't worry if you weigh 210 when you ought to weigh 195. After all, nobody's perfect.

I fear that too many Christians live by the "Nobody's Perfect" philosophy. "I use a little profanity," someone might rationalize, "but I'm not going to worry about it; after all, nobody's perfect." "I drink a few beers occasionally;" or "I miss a service every once in a while;" or "I've got a bad temper;" various ones might say, each one excusing himself with, "Nobody's perfect."

It is true that nobody's perfect, but this fact must not become an excuse for willful sin. Every weakness must be looked upon as an obstacle to be overcome. The man who uses profanity must work until he conquers that habit. And so with the man who habitually drinks, or misses services, or has a bad temper, or has any other weakness.

We strive for perfection. "But I keep under my body," Paul said, "and bring it into subjection: lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27). Paul could never excuse himself with "Nobody's perfect." To have done so would have resulted in his being a castaway. And so with us all.

God's word never holds before us any standard short of perfection. "Lie not one to another," the Bible says, rather than, "Try not to lie" or, "Don't lie very often." "Let not corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth." "Let him that stole, steal no more." (I am indebted to Irven Lee for the thoughts in this paragraph.) "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth."

"What if someone dies before he reaches this state of perfection?" someone might be asking. He will! But, there is forgiveness through Christ for the penitent one who is continually reaching for perfection. "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). There is no forgiveness, however, for the impenitent person who makes no effort to overcome his weaknesses. Nobody's perfect! True! But everyone's aim must be for perfection.

(Jefferson David Tant)

The day was hot, and they walked a long distance. They were passing through unfamiliar territory among people of a different culture, and some were possibly nervous. By now it was noon, and the sun was beating down. At last, a resting place ahead - a well. The group left their leader there and went into a nearby village seeking food. The leader rested, but had nothing with which to draw water.

Soon a local woman approached, and He asked her to draw water for Him. She was startled, for Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, especially women, and she voiced her surprise. With that, Jesus turned the conversation to spiritual things - living water. You know the story (John 4).

What an example of how natural it is to use personal contacts to interest people in spiritual matters. This did not happen just because Jesus was God, but because He recognized and took advantage of opportunities whenever and wherever they presented themselves. And this we can all do, regardless of age, sex, occupation or learning. Please permit a few examples from my own experiences. I do not feel I am an expert, yet I have made a conscious effort through the years to approach others and lead them into discussing things eternal.

As I was getting clothes from the cleaners on a September morn, I engaged the young clerk in conversation. After asking if she lived in the area, and where she went to school, I asked where she went to church. She looked sheepish, and I said, "You don't go, do you?" "No." "Why not?" "Well, you can't really believe the Bible. It's full of legends and fairy tales." "Really? Who told you?" She said that her Bible professor in her Methodist college so informed her. Then I proceeded to tell her of the Bible's interesting evidences showing that man could not have written it unaided. "Would you like to study about this?" She would, and she did. Nancy was baptized in a few weeks.

While in a store one day, I talked with the three teens who worked there, and then met their parents, the owners. In the conversation, I asked about their church affiliation, and learned they had none. They had become disillusioned, and had little interest in religion. I gave them a tract (written by Dale Smelser) and invited them to visit with us. They said they would (you've heard that before!) We talked on occasion over the months, but no visit with us. But Roger didn't seem to shy away from our conversations.

Finally, I asked for an hour or so one evening to present a concept of simple, New Testament Christianity. (Later, he admitted he consented just to get the matter over with.) We had a good study, and Roger and Donna wanted to know more. After studying five or six weeks, Roger and Donna were baptized. They now teach Bible classes, and Roger preaches and leads singing.

Thinking back through the years, I recall so many people I have met in the common, everyday situations we all have. Some complain, "But I don't have any contacts." Are you a hermit? Consider some of those that have been baptized. My postman (then an elder in a denomination); a next-door neighbor; the bookkeeper (and owner's wife) of a local service station; two bank tellers I often talked with; the receptionist of a business I called on (who later married a gospel preacher); a drug-store clerk; a teacher in my son's grade school; two neighborhood teens who were my children's friends; a woman for whom my wife worked part-time; a hitch-hiker I picked up (carefully) one day; a young woman I met in the bus station during a bus delay; a young couple we took into our home who were out on the street with nowhere to go.

Now, mind you, these did not come asking to be taught; they did not first visit our services; they were not related to Christians; nor were they referred to us. They were simply people whom we met in the normal, everyday affairs of life.

Brethren, we all know such people, and if they are receptive to the gospel in my town, it is likely there are such in your town. The only "skills" necessary are friendliness, an interest in people, talking to them, asking questions. I usually carry cards or tracts to hand out. As Sewell Hall has said, "It is our job to look for people who are looking." "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest ... See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Matthew 9:37,38; Ephesians 5:15,16)