Reaching Out with a Love Story
A team of two went out to offer comfort to Montreal’s Jewish community during the attacks on Israel Tuesday and to give a small gift for Shavuot (Pentecost) which begins at sundown on Sunday May 16.
We began near the Jewish Hospital, where the Lord once again provided the best parking place in the area – right across from the main entrance and where there was no parking meter. It is the second straight time this place opened up just as we arrived. We have a God who looks after the details!
A Jewish woman walking up the sidewalk received our two gifts with a smile as she asked when the holiday began this year. She exclaimed how pretty they looked, which we pray will entice people to open and read them carefully.
An Italian man who said he was a non-practicing Roman Catholic engaged us in conversation for a while as we spoke of the violent conflict in Israel. Saying his brother had “changed religions” and become evangelical, we gave him a well-adapted tract explaining ten biblical truths from “the Roman Catholic Bible” like salvation by grace through faith and how God is our only mediator. He also took our tract on anti-Semitism to explain the root of the ongoing hostilities, saying he was interested. Only one second after we finished speaking, his phone rang and he disappeared into his car.
After an hour, it began to sprinkle and we walked up to an elderly woman who was nearly completely bent over and walking quite laboriously. After offering to cover her from the rain, we told her of our gifts, which she happily placed inside the seat of her walker, wishing us a happy holiday with a fresh smile.
Seeing the direction of the rain clouds, we decided to drive to a shopping center in a Jewish area where the rain had already ended. Immediately after parking, we extended our arms with the gifts to an older Jewish man. He declined at first because he said he had no money. When he heard it was free, he gladly accepted the two items on Ruth.
We spoke to a woman who identified herself as Modern Orthodox for quite a while. Skeptical of our perspective, she asked if we were Reform Jews, to which one of us said she was raised Conservative, or borderline Modern Orthodox today. Along with the name of our congregation, she then was satisfied.
She wanted to know our opinion on what was going on in Israel, and we explained the eternal hatred from this passage, also pointing out that God says it is His land and can give it to whomever He pleases. He has chosen to give it to the Jewish people.
“Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,’ although the LORD was there, therefore as I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy which you showed because of your hatred against them; so I will make Myself known among them when I judge you.” Ezekiel 35:10-11
She asked if we had “changed” any of the Scripture texts in our literature, but we said that on the contrary, we quoted them directly. She was reluctant to take anything but the scroll of Ruth, but one of us said she could look up messianic prophecy in her own Tanakh from our bookmark, which she finally accepted before heading on her way.
Another Jewish man who said he wasn’t very religious was hesitant to take our brochure on Shavuot, saying he didn’t like dairy foods, which are traditionally eaten for the feast! Speaking with him a bit longer, he took the tract on anti-Semitism with a grin and said we were doing a good thing to spread the word!
Much later, we saw the first elderly man who had taken our gifts when he heard they were free. He was with a woman who was hesitant to recieve our literature. Right away, he encouraged her to take them, since they were about Shavuot, so she did!
When we decided it was time to leave, we got into the car and right away it began to rain again. Perfect timing from our God who sees after the details! Since He cares so much about the smallest things, we know He cares for those suffering under rocket fire in the Middle East. At this terrible time, may they seek the only Kinsman who can redeem them from death both physically and spiritually.
A hearty thank you as you join with us in the streets of Montreal through prayer. We see the fruit of your precious partnership. Todah! (Thank you!)
The two-day biblical feast of Shavuot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost) begins at sundown this Sunday, May 16. We at Beth Ariel have designed and written a pamphlet that speaks of the greatest love story and is based on the story of Ruth and Boaz. It points to Yeshua as our Kinsman Redeemer. We are making it available for you to print out because it would be a nice gift to give to Jewish people at this season. Because they read the entire book of four chapters on this holiday, we have also made a scroll of the text that you can print out and give as well. We rolled ours up as a scroll and tied it with a pretty ribbon.