David was a young man who was a very devout Christian. He was raised in a small town about two hours away from Los Angeles. After he graduated from University, he found a job in the city. Yet he loved to come home and visit his parents as often as he could. The hours spent with his parents were always treasured moments. He loved to sing and pray and read the Bible with his parents. It was so refreshing for him, and a welcome escape from the big city. Although he was often quite busy when he was in the city, he always took time for his prayer life and was always looking for people to share the gospel with. Everyone always seemed in such a rush and many had a stressed-out, unhappy look on their face. David also carried missionary tracts in his pocket to share with people in his travels.
David always took the train to visit his parents. The traffic in the big city was a headache on weekends and he would rather relax on a train while going to visit them.
This particular weekend had been special. It was a busy weekend as there was a church conference. Friday night and all day Sabbath they spent at church with the believers. Although busy, it was a blessed time for David to spend the weekend with so many other believers, many of whom he had known since childhood.
Sunday afternoon there was a blessed event—a baptism. Three dear souls gave their hearts to the Lord, one of them was David’s younger sister. How happy this made David feel as he watched her commit her life to the Lord. She was beaming with joy after the service.
The day was spent in fellowship with family and friends, and they all stayed up late into the night. On most of his visits, David had returned to the city on Sunday night, but this weekend was so special that he decided to stay home for the night and leave early the next morning. He planned to take the 5:30 a.m. train back into the city. Although he set his alarm clock for 4:00 a.m., he hit the snooze button too many times so that it was at 4:30 a.m. when he jumped out of bed. He quickly gathered all his belongings, had a quick prayer, got dressed and was ran out the door. He had his Bible and would have his morning devotion on the train. His father was there to drive him to the train station. It was a 20-minute drive.
David was in such a rush that he had no time to shave. This would pose a problem because he had planned to go directly from the train station to his office. But he had no choice. He thought that perhaps he could quickly shave in the washroom in his office building.
David bid farewell to his father and quickly ran up the steps into the train station to the ticket window. There was a bit of a line-up and David was tempted to get impatient, so he silently prayed that the Lord would help him to not get upset and to let him make the train.
He got to the ticket window at 5:20 a.m. He knew he had only ten minutes to spare. When he went to purchase his ticket the agent told him that the electric express train was two hours late.
David sighed. At first, he did not know what to do. He purchased the ticket and left the window bewildered. He could have slept another two hours. Should he call his father to come back and take him home, just to bring him back in one and a half hours? No, he did not want to trouble his father. His father was likely just arriving back home and was very tired from the night before. His father was not young any longer, so David decided to pray and ask the Lord what the purpose of the delay was. David did not get upset at having to rush only to face a delay. He knew God had a reason for it. First, he called his employer to explain the situation. Then he prayed for wisdom from the Holy Spirit. He felt that the Lord had some special work for him to do. Why did he sleep in? Why did he not have time to shave? David then surmised that somewhere the Lord had a barber to whom he was to share the Gospel with that day.
Leaving the train station, David started walking down the street, seeking a barber shop, at the same time praying to the Lord for guidance and direction. Two blocks down the street he saw a small revolving sign which attracted him and so he approached the shop. He had found his barber shop. As he opened the door, a bell rang, arousing the barber, who was then in the rear of the shop, behind a partition.
The two men met near the barber chair and David observed that he was Japanese, a man about 10 years older than himself, about the age of thirty-five. He asked for a shave and the barber politely asked him to sit in the chair. Adjusting the chair to a reclining position, the barber soon had the warm lather on David’s face, with a hot towel to soften the beard. While he sharpened his razor, David prayed for wisdom from the Holy Spirit. He wanted to know how to approach this man in a wise way, so that he would be open to hear the gospel message.
When he came back, David asked him if he knew a Mr. Kimura, who was a famous Christian preacher in Japan.
“Where is he from?” the barber asked.
“His home is in Kioto, but he preaches all over Japan.”
“Oh, I came from Kioto. I was born there,” the barber replied. “Is this Mr. Kimura, a little man who builds big, wooden tabernacles, with sawdust on the ground?”
“Yes,” David answered, “that is his method.”
David’s answer made the barber think deeply. He went and got a clean towel, wiped the lather from David’s face until it was dry. He then raised the chair so that David was now in a sitting position, then leaning over the chair, in a serious voice, he said: “I will never forget that little man. I went to one of his meetings in Kioto and heard him preach. When he finished, he came from the platform down the aisle, placed his hand on my shoulder, and said: ‘Young man, have you repented of your sins and been forgiven?’”
“Have you?” asked David.
“No,” he answered, “I wish I knew how. The man never stopped to help me. He simply kept on walking and talking to other people, but his words have stayed with me. I have been thinking about it over the years. When you rang the bell now, I was walking up and down in my little room at the back of the shop, saying those words over and over again, and wishing that I knew how. Can you tell me how?”
“Yes, indeed, I can,” said David. He got up from the chair and went to get his Bible from his backpack. He then began to read to the barber the story of the Saviour’s love.
Acts 10:43 impressed the heart of the barber very much. “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”
“Do you have any sins?” David asked.
“Oh, yes,” he answered, “lots of them.”
“Would you like to have them put away today?”
“If it could be so,” he eagerly answered. “I would get peace in my heart, for now only trouble is there.”
“Well, Jesus came to blot out your sins for you. Let me read here in Isaiah 44:22.” “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.”
These passages seemed to deeply affect the heart of the barber. He seemed in deep meditation as David explained the Scriptures to him, and told him about the Saviour of sinners who came to save him. He then turned to 1 John 1:7. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
David explained it to him, saying, “Do you not see, Mr. Barber, that the Lord Jesus was dying for you? He suffered on the cross the punishment that you should have had.” He then read Romans 5:6. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
These Scriptures brought light to this dark and troubled soul. The peace of God came into his heart as he confessed his belief in the work of Christ at Calvary and his acceptance of the person of Christ for his own soul. “If I repent Jesus will most assuredly forgive my sins and wipe them away,” he said. “The Bible says so. I believe the Bible. I believe God sent Jesus to save me and I will accept Him into my heart. He is mine.” The barber then
asked if David could pray with him right there in the barber shop. And so, David and the barber prayed together, with the barber confessing his many sins. After the prayer, the barber’s face was beaming with joy.
David then said to him, “Did none of your customers ever tell you of the Saviour?”
“No,” he replied, “they do not talk about Jesus to me.”
“Have you not been to any churches here in America?”
“Yes, I went to a few,” he said, “but they did not tell me that Jesus blotted out my sins and that I could have Him as my personal Saviour. They only talked about their particular religious beliefs and doctrines and they did a lot of singing. I could not find peace in what they said. I am so glad you have come with your Bible to explain to me how Jesus can be my personal Saviour and He is willing to forgive my sins.”
Before finishing the shave, David asked the barber, “Do you believe your sins are forgiven?”
“Yes,” he replied, “Jesus has forgiven me, and I believe in Him. I would like to come to your church because I can see that you talk about Jesus as a personal Saviour. I want to learn more about Jesus. Jesus loves me and cares for me.”
David explained that he lived in the big city, but he gave the barber the address of the local church where his parents attended. The next Sabbath, the barber was there early at the church, sitting in the front row. He was a faithful attendee for many years and has brought others also to the church. He often speaks to his customers about the love of Jesus and how Jesus can give them peace in their hearts. Jesus will forgive all their sins.
The next time you are delayed, whether your train or plane is delayed, or you are waiting for an appointment, seek for ways to use your time wisely and perhaps to share your faith. The delay is not an accident, it is in God’s plan. Do not get upset, but look at it as an opportunity. Ask the Lord for the reason and then seek to do His will. Also, make sure to carry your Bible with you at all times, or a missionary tract. Someone may ask you a question, or someone may need comfort from the Word of God. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15