[298 words]
Some time ago I read a story in which Tip O’Neill, former Speaker of the House, was once told by his neighbor, Mrs. Elizabeth O’Brien, “Tom, I’m going to vote for you tomorrow even though you didn’t ask me to.”
This shocked Tip. He said, “I’ve lived across the street from you for eighteen years. I cut your grass in the summer, I shovel your walk in the winter. I haul out your ashes. I didn’t think I had to ask for your vote.”
“Tom,” she replied, “let me tell you something: People like to be asked.”
After that experience Tip O’Neill even started asking his wife, Millie. Every election day as they left for the polls he would say, “Honey, I’d like to ask for your vote.” “Tom,” she’d reply, “I’ll give you every consideration.”
That little story took me back over fifty years. C. E. McGaughey had come to town to preach in a gospel meeting where I was the local, but inexperienced preacher. I showed him around the town and introduced him everywhere. There wasn’t a person we met that he didn’t invite to attend the services.
In our visits to various homes he would inquire, “Are you a Christian?” If the answer was “no,” he would gently speak of how wonderful it is to be a Christian. He would talk about the blessings of receiving the forgiveness of all sins, and the joy to be found in following Christ. Before we left the house he would always ask, “Wouldn’t you like to be baptized into Christ for the remission of your sins?”
Before the week was over there had been sixty-seven baptisms, and countless homes had been changed for the better.
It makes me wonder. Maybe we are not doing enough asking these days.
John Gipson
via church of Christ
Hooker, OK