Open Air: Refreshment

I don’t often quote the N.I.V., but here it makes the text a little clearer: “Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.” (Proverbs 25.13.)

Last week we had a takeaway tea and an iced bun given to us, and this week (last week by the time you read this) Stephen was handed a box of ring doughnuts! By Christmas we’ll be expecting a gift hamper, at the very least! Most kind of the thoughtful doughnut donor, anyway.

It was a cool day in Manchester, but the sun shone for some of the time, the clouds were fluffy and white, and there were no over-amplified preachers or buskers to drown us out. Peter arrived along with us; but, since he’d already been up since dawn and out elsewhere, he went off to get a drink and to take a short rest while we set out our stall. Janette joined us a short time later.

Stephen began, interrupted only by the occasional tram and the sound of hydraulic drills in the distance. It was fairly busy, since local schools were on holiday, so families and young people were much in evidence. It was a slow start as far as tracts went, and the only real response we had was from a teenager who raised his hands and called out “Hallelujah!” as he went on his way. Most original and amusing, I think you’ll agree...

Our friend David appeared briefly, looking for Kieran. We hadn’t seen him, so he went off to search for him down Market Street. I noted the number of gifts clutched in the hands of young children - perhaps presents to pacify them while their parents trekked from shop to shop in search of retail therapy.

And then it was my turn. Just as I was about to begin, a tram shuddered and squealed to a stop, narrowly missing a careless pedestrian. An introduction ready made for me: “Watch out for those trams! We don’t want you to meet your Maker yet, if you’re not yet at peace with Him!” And then onto Jeremiah’s: “but what will you do when the end comes?”

Stephen’s tracts went out more quickly than mine had, but I had the satisfaction of seeing a young woman stop and listen for quite a time. She stood with her head on one side, cupping her cheek in her upraised hand. After a while, Stephen went to offer her a tract, but she smiled and refused it, which was a pity. But then a slim gent in a black anorak over a grey hoodie stopped to listen, then took a tract, and chatted to him.

Then he took out his phone for a photo, responding enthusiastically to my mention of Leonard Cohen and the usual quotation: “When they said, repent, repent,/ I wonder what they meant…” which prompted me to launch into a brief explanation of that much misunderstood term, “repent”, and thus into a summary of the gospel. When he went, another gent took his place - but as I paused to let Stephen take his turn, the young woman left, which was also a bit of a pity, I thought.

I glanced over at Janette and Peter: both of them were busy, since tracts go out a lot more quickly over by the shops, where folk tend to congregate. They were brightly lit, but the autumnal sunlight was already slanting to such an extent that Stephen and I were in the shadows of the buildings behind us. By the time Stephen had finished an extended summary of the gospel, the sun had disappeared entirely behind the darkening clouds. And then it was my turn again.

As I began to list the ways in which people seek fulfilment in the modern world, a bumptious young man (having heard no more than a word or two of what I was saying) took it into his head to offer a brief lecture on the virtues of harmonising body, soul and spirit - and why wasn’t I warning people about the dangers of microplastics polluting our air and water? How hard it is, sometimes, to avoid giving unnecessary offence… but I managed it - for once. And having had his moment in the limelight, he dashed away again.

Back on track, I pointed to our poster and enlarged upon the wages of sin and the real path to peace. And then a young woman in a faded denim jacket and white, cropped jeans (all the better to display her tattooed calves, I suppose), stopped in front of me, carrying a bundle of what looked like the proceeds of a profitable shoplifting expedition. Bending oddly at the knees, she looked up at me, crying: “Zinglish!” A bit of a baffler. As she walked away, she replied to my “I’m sorry, I couldn’t quite get that!” with “Ozmi English! That’s why!” and further incomprehensible variations on that theme, until she was lost in the crowd once more.

As I paused to comment on how interesting it was doing Open Airs, because of all the fascinating folk you get to meet, I noted a big, bearded bloke in a light blue hoodie filming her as she walked away. Kieran appeared at his side and engaged him in conversation. Whether they were acquainted or not, I never found out.

Time was going, so I ended on the unjustified optimism that so many folk harbour in their hearts, and how to replace that with real hope and the unbreakable gospel promise of eternal blessing. I was pleased to see Kieran getting alongside a young girl - all in black but for shining white trainers - and apparently making progress with her as I concluded.

We packed up, prayed, and departed for the Arndale. We were joined by another Stephen, a tall, bearded, elderly gent who seemed to have done some Open Air preaching in Manchester in the past. Well, we’re always happy to be in the company of such; and then we enjoyed refreshments together - including, of course, the donated doughnuts.

That said, it’s not the refreshment of we mean gospel messengers that really matters; rather, it’s that we might be found as faithful as the messenger mentioned in our proverb. And if you want a little more, here is what the redoubtable Matthew Henry has to say.

See here, 1. What ought to be the care of a servant, the meanest that is sent on an errand and entrusted with any business, much more the greatest, the agent and ambassador of a prince; he ought to be faithful to him that sends him, and to see to it that he do not, by mistake or with design, falsify his trust, and that he be in nothing that lies in his power wanting to his master’s interest. Those that act as factors, by commission, ought to act as carefully as for themselves. 2. How much this will be to the satisfaction of the master; it will refresh his soul as much as ever the cold of snow (which in hot countries they preserve by art all the year round) refreshed the labourers in the harvest, that bore the burden and heat of the day. The more important the affair was, and the more fear of its miscarrying, the more acceptable is the messenger, if he have managed it successfully and well. A faithful minister, Christ’s messenger, should be thus acceptable to us (Job 33:23); however, he will be a sweet savour to God, 2 Co. 2:15.

Please pray, if you would, for any of those mentioned above; and also for M., a retired council worker to whom Peter spoke, who asked for prayer after losing several family members recently; and also for A., the young girl to whom Kieran spoke, who said that she was going to get a bible app for her phone; and also for the two recipients of bibles from David, who reappeared briefly to obtain them from us.

Join us if you can, if the Lord lays it upon your heart to do so, next Wednesday, at the usual place and the usual time.

Every blessing!