A Wasted Witness?

Dear Holy Spirit... I could use a little counseling here.  Would thou please confirmith my suspicions through the followers on my blog... or my facebook friends?  Okay, okay... I'll seek it in your Word.  But I'm a 21st century kinda girl.  So I'm still gonna blog it.  Amen.

As promised:

So, about 2 1/2 years ago, I was a new SAHM hanging out at the house barefoot, eating bon bons (or maybe it was M&Ms in my case), waiting for the Tot (then a teeny baby) to wake up from her second nap.  Alas, a knock at the door.

Thus began my relationship with "M"



She's a Jehovah's Witness, and she's ruthless.  She and her witness partner had come to share truth with me.  The trouble is, my Truth and her truth are not the same.  She's interested in talking to me more though because I'm not accusatory, I'm not mean, I'm not even defensive really.  I listen to her viewpoint and then share mine.  From my Bible.  She finds this intriguing.  I even agree (deep breath) to let them come back on occasion, which they translate as, "come by whenever you want, but rarely when I'm prepared."

On some occasions, when we see our friends-in-the-white-car pull into the driveway, the Tot and I hide in the kitchen.  This happened the times I hadn't been in the Word much and was feeling too vulnerable.  More often though, I'd say a quick prayer, answer the door and invite them in.

Eventually, I roped my husband into helping me.  "M" and her husband starting coming every Saturday at 1:00.  This lasted a few months until we were just exhausted.  Our only Tot-free, obligation-free time was being swallowed up in a seemingly endless circle of conversation.  We ended the Saturday thing.

We moved to town.

"M" found me.  These people are all over the place.  Protestants, be ashamed!

We agreed to start meeting again.. this time, on Wednesdays.  No husbands.

Yesterday, "M" and her partner "T" "helped" me understand that Satan wasn't confined to earth until 1914 and that's the same year King Jesus actually took the throne in Heaven.  So much of what they say seems to line up with what I believe but between that doctrine and the idea that Jesus isn't God.. we really aren't going to get very far.

Really, we're getting nowhere.  It encourages me to study more of what I believe and to be able to articulate it, but I've come to realize they aren't going to let me talk much.  I don't want my exceptionally bright and curious Tot to be confused, so we never meet when she is awake, but it feels risky.  Plus, I feel outnumbered.  It's 2 against one in my living room and they've got two backups waiting in the car "eating lunch" for the hour we've been chit chatting.

I think it's time.  Time to end the relationship.  Time to move on.  Although I very much like her, "M" has no interest in a friendship, only a "conversion." I think this will be a mourning process for me.  I will continue to pray for them, but in the future, I think it's best to spend my time and energy on more potentially fruitful opportunities.  It feels like two years of wasted witnessing, but I know that God's words never return void and that I've done what I was called to do.  Although, in this circumstance, nothing really feels Plain & Simple As That.

*** For the record, this was all confirmed by my reading in Matthew 16 this morning, but I'm still open to the thoughts of my readers!  It is the 21st century.  ***

Resource:  Check out Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses  Ron Rhodes does a great job of anticipating the exact doctrine they will present you with, and some questions you can pose to get them thinking (though they are trained not to really answer your questions it seems).  It'll also help you understand more of what you believe.  For example, can you really point to scripture that proves the Holy Spirit is God and not just "God's active force on the earth?"  Check it out.  It'll help.  That's my promise to you.