A few years ago, quite a few years ago, I was trying to lose a few pounds by running. I mapped out and followed a trail that sent me by a construction working crew. I chose that path because it was flat and smooth, and I could run along unimpeded and build up some steam. I did, in fact, lose some pounds and cleared the cobwebs from my head as well.

Everyday I passed the large construction site, a myriad of South-of-the-border workers whistled and hollered at me. Believe me those men howled like wolves at anything remotely female… and I am almost certain most of them needed glasses! Soon I dreaded passing them, so I decided to change the atmosphere.

The next day when the guys started howling, I yelled out, “Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!” You could have heard a pin drop on that construction site; the workers stopped their labor, fell silent, and just watched me run. I could feel their shock!

Everyday after that instead of waiting for them to start whistling, I yelled first, “Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved!” One man echoed the verse back to me, word-for-word with strength and conviction! I kept yelling  that Scripture to the men as I passed, and someone  always yelled it back.

It totally changed the atmosphere! I grew to love running by the site.

I did the same thing a number of years ago whenever I would get a prank call. in those days, obscene calls were somewhat common–no caller Ids or dial-back numbers were available. I would say to every obscene caller, “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior,” what about you?

I engaged several of them in conversation about the pain of their lives; others slammed the phone down angrily, and one or two became even more vile. This confession of my faith changed the atmosphere of the dark defilement of a filthy call and shone light for a minute into the heart of the hurting caller. It gave me the opportunity to turn something ugly into something sweet. I will never forget the desperation of a couple of those men I spoke to. They candidly confessed their problems and asked for prayer.

For the past few days, someone I don’t know has been texting me about a gay-pride march in Ft. Worth and Halloween… I think they chose my number at random or misdialed, but then were trying to pull me into conversing. When I confessed that Jesus was my Lord and Savior, the texting stopped.

The name of Jesus changes the atmosphere.

Confession can be costly though. Some have lost their lives because they have declared His lordship.  And those martyrs’ blood cries from the ground the world over for justice. God will repay, and they will have a special reward in heaven.

Some day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I look forward to how the atmosphere will change on that grand and glorious day.