Sometimes sisters just have to bite the bullet and help a girl out. Such was the case when sister Colleen asked if I’d like to go with her to the Florida Keys to keep her company. My job was to simply hold down the beach and soak up the sun while she was at meetings and then keep her company at dinner and during her off times. I agreed. What else could I do, being a loyal sister and all?

Several months later, that’s exactly where I found myself with my first trip to Florida. There was a wonderful boardwalk near the hotel, so one morning I decided to go for a walk. Grabbing my Bible, I thought I’d find a quiet spot to spend time with God. I spotted a bench and settled into one of my most enjoyable activities; people watching. Along came something one never sees in Montana; a large group of authentic Jewish men, with ringlets and full Jewish garb. I nodded politely as they passed, trying not to stare as I took in such a new experience. Soon a middle-aged Jewish man stopped to speak to me. “I see you have a Bible,” he said. “Yes,” I answered, “I’m a Christ follower.”

The man pressed me about my knowledge of who the Messiah should be, trying to convince me that the real Messiah hadn’t arrived yet. We chatted for a few minutes as I attempted to instead, point out the Messiah Jesus had fulfilled prophesies such as being born in Bethlehem to a virgin. The man was kind and he stayed longer than I expected, chatting and yet, never coming to an agreement.

As the kind Jewish man left, I did what I often do, second-guessed my conversation with, “I should have said this, I should have said that!” Such hindsight “should have’s” probably save me from multiple reasons to apologize so I need to be grateful that my mind and tongue are sometimes slow to the scene. However, in this instance, I really would have liked to replay that conversation.

The next day, I sat at the same bench, hoping the Jewish man might stop again. This time I would tell him that the likelihood of Jesus fulfilling even 8 of the 300 prophesies was like covering the State of Texas with two feet of silver dollars, marking only one of them and then expecting someone to find that one dollar with one try. It was impossible and in fact, the same odds of Jesus NOT being the true Messiah. I was ready and yet, he didn’t return, leaving me frustrated that I wouldn’t get another chance to engage.

My experience with the Jewish man reminded of Scripture in 1 Peter 3:15 to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” I know that my “answer” really isn’t about stats or impressive facts, but rather how Jesus touched and impacted me personally. Perhaps that would have created more interest for him than our brief debate about prophesy.

Although I never had another opportunity to talk with the man, our encounter has remained in my memory through the years, reminding me to be prepared to give my reason of hope. Even though I wasn't as prepared and I should have been, perhaps our conversation planted a seed that God grew into faith. Perhaps the kind Jew even became a Messianic Jew. Regardless, I learned a valuable lesson about being prepared so that no one misses the Good News of Jesus Christ, the one true and only Messiah, Savior of the world.