Study with My Neighbor

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17, NKJV.

Our next door neighbors asked my wife, Christine, to tutor their son in English. She agreed, as long as she could use the Bible as a text. The family was agreeable to this arrangement, so the lessons started. Amnaat, the dad, always dropped his son off for tutoring, and I took those opportunities to chat with him.

Amnaat is 35 years old and works as a restaurant owner. Like most Northern Thai, he considers himself to be Buddhist, and sees little need to consider any other religion. As we talked, I asked him, “Amnaat, would you like to study the Bible with me, so that you will know what we are teaching your son?” He agreed.

Amnaat now comes over twice a week, along with his son and we study the Bible together. We have become great friends. At times I think he is close to understanding, but then he pulls back into his Buddhist traditions.

One day, as we studied a story from the New Testament about Jesus and the Pharisees, Amnaat said, “Why don’t the Pharisees believe Jesus? They have seen all the things that he did.”

I told him, “Just because a person sees and knows something doesn’t mean that he or she will accept it.” The truth of that statement hit me. Just because I faithfully share the Gospel with my friend, Amnaat, and just because he knows the truth, doesn’t mean he will accept it. But I keep sharing, because I know that faith comes from hearing the word of God.

Pray that:

God will encourage Christians in Northern Thailand to continue sharing, even when they don’t see a lot of response to their witness.

Amnaat will come to faith in Jesus.

Many churches will be established among the Northern Thai before the end of 2007.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.