I had the most interesting experience yesterday as I worked the drive through window.  Very few people pay with cash anymore, it’s all about debit and yes, even credit cards.  So the car at my window then had two people in it, and they had separate orders.  I called up the first order, gave her that total, and she gave me her debit card.  Which promptly flashed up “NOT APPROVED”.  I tried it again with the same result.  Rather than being distressed, she whipped out another card and said, “here, try this one.”  This one was also not approved, whereupon she got out yet a THIRD card and said “try this one”.  It finally went through and she received her food.  Same car, next order, and I gave her passenger the total and she handed over her card.  Guess what??  Same result as her friend’s!!  NOT APPROVED.  She also got out another card, while flashing a wallet full of them, and gave it to her friend who gave it to me, and said, “try this one”.  I KID YOU NOT!  That one actually went through, and she also received her food and they happily drove off.

I, however, was totally shocked.  Between those 2 ladies, it took FIVE cards to get one approval for each of them.  And each one of those ladies had a wallet FULL of cards!  As I drove home later that day, I was still mulling that over, and God clearly spoke to my heart about the present condition of our world, and the lost people in it.  Everyday there are people who act as though God will treat them just like their fastfood restaurant at the end of their lives.  If one “card” (i.e. religion) doesn’t work, they are sure another one will.  They anticipate getting to heaven with a wallet full of religions, and if God doesn’t accept one, then surely He will look on another one with favor.  So there’s no big rush, no planning and no anticipation of any bad ending…they will just be ushered into the “pearly gates” by the “good man upstairs” who will accept any and all “payment” for their sin debt.

How wrong!  And how sad!  And also how guilty we, as God’s true children who have accepted His blood on the cross as the ONLY payment for our sin, are in not helping them see the error of their ways.  Not only that, but sometimes we are RELUCTANT to say anything, or to share our testimony, so they won’t die in their sin!  I came away from this experience determined that every time I see someone with a wallet full of credit/debit cards, I will be reminded that they, too, may be relying on the wrong payment for their sins – and maybe I am the one God wants to use to correct that!