“Jesus Didn’t Quit When He Was Scared”

I met Tina on a campaign. A painfully shy teenage sister, at first I thought she was there with her family. In fact, she was so quiet I thought she might be an au pair and speak lim­ited English. I expected she would help in the kitchen and with the chil­dren. However, she got involved in billing, fly billing and sandwich board­ing as well as the street drama.

She started to smile and laugh. We were on meal duty together when I asked her how she came. “On the train, my Mum took me to the station and Bro. Bill picked me up at this end.” I asked how she’d got involved in the first place: “The campaign’s leaflet they send around the ecclesias. It said people are friendly and welcoming on campaigns and they have been. I’m glad I came now.”

“Now?” I asked, “Were you dread­ing it?”

“Yes I was rather. I thought I might not cope with the fly billing and outdoor work and you would send me home in disgrace. I’m a real coward. I’m scared of nearly everything. I wanted to learn how to talk to people about my faith. I hoped I would learn from you guys.”

“So,” I looked at her with new re­spect, “You came here by yourself, although you were afraid of the work involved and you weren’t sure if you could trust us. What made you do it?”

She looked at me as though I was asking the obvious: “Why? ‘Cos it’s for Jesus. Jesus didn’t quit when he was scared. What am I going to do, knowing he faced the cross for me? Turn around and say ‘Sorry Lord, I’m not doing that, I’m too scared’?”

She went on, obviously passion­ately concerned with what she was saying, “Did you see the news last week?” I nodded. “Those eighteen soldiers killed in Northern Ireland. They were only boys, some used to be at my school and now they’ve gone and lost their lives for, well, nothing, just stupid politics. Army life can’t be easy but they get on with it. We read it last night in Timothy where Paul says we should endure for Christ in the same way.” She paused, “It’s not easy, though. I was sick on Sat­urday morning before I came, I was so nervous. I’ve been praying about this for ages that Jesus would help me find the courage to cope.”

I responded, “And your prayers have been answered — like Paul you can say, ‘I can do all things through Christ.’

“Yes” she responded with a big smile, “That’s really special.”

Tina, I think you made God really happy that week. I hope you know we wouldn’t have sent you home in disgrace if you had stayed in the kitchen. I hope you know God will not send us away when we fail but wants to forgive us and help us try again. I’m tempted just to say I’m touched by your youthful idealism. Then I think, why should courage, faith and commitment be forgotten as we get older? Tina, thank you for the encouragement of your example.