Alan from Ohio: Let Scripture Open a Conversation
An open Bible at an airport led to a conversation neither man had planned. Keep Scripture close, listen well, and be ready to receive encouragement too.
#380 — Alan From Ohio - How an airport meeting became a spiritual highlight for the glory of God.
Jun 23, 2025
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Leave room for a better use of waiting
A delay gives us a choice before we even notice we're making it. We can reach for another distraction or leave some room to read, think, and notice the people standing beside us. There is nothing remarkable about passing time that way. Yet an ordinary wait can also become an opportunity to read Scripture, notice another person, or have a conversation we would otherwise miss. We can't arrange every meaningful encounter, but we can make choices that leave room for one.
On a return trip from Ohio, I was reading Second Timothy at an airport table. A nearby man working on a presentation noticed the Bible and came closer to ask what I was reading. The man was Alan, who lived north of Columbus. That simple question opened a conversation that became one of the trip’s most memorable moments. There was no elaborate introduction or carefully staged presentation. Scripture was being read in an ordinary public place, and another person recognized an opportunity to talk about it.
Listen before preparing your answer
Alan told me that, near the end of 2019, his marriage had been approaching divorce. He knew little about God and had never owned or read a Bible. His need was becoming painfully clear. During that difficult season, he began going into his barn and pleading for help. His story did not begin with a polished explanation of theology. It began with an awareness that he needed something he did not know how to provide for himself.
His wife met a woman who spoke with her about Jesus. She ordered two Bibles and asked Alan to read with her. They started in Genesis and kept going, allowing the word to lead their questions and choices. Alan told me that they came to believe in Jesus and were baptized for the forgiveness of sins, following what they had read in Acts. He described a changed marriage, a growing family, and fellowship with believers. That was Alan's account, and other families may face different struggles. Hearing those details helped me understand why he was so eager to talk.
Let Scripture lead the conversation
Second Timothy 3:14–17 says Scripture can make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ and equip us for good work. The Bible does more than supply a sentence for an encouraging conversation. The word teaches, corrects, and trains. Alan’s story illustrates people taking that instruction seriously enough to read broadly and respond. My opportunity to hear the story began with the same willingness to make room for the word. Reading connected the two sides of the encounter.
Romans 10:17 connects faith with hearing the message of Christ. A story can get our attention, and a kind conversation can help us listen. But the message itself deserves the central place. The gospel must remain central. When a question arises, return to the relevant passage, read its context, and be honest about what you do not yet understand. Acts 2:37–41 gives a concrete example of hearers responding through repentance and baptism. We do people a service when we help them see what Scripture says rather than making our own experience the final authority for their response.
Keep the Bible within reach
Keep a Bible close enough that reading is an easy choice. A paper copy can separate you from the phone's distractions and make your interest visible. The format isn't a test; the attention is what matters. It also allows familiar markings and easy movement between passages. A digital Bible can be useful too. The question is which habits help you actually attend to the word in the circumstances where you regularly find yourself.
Choose a passage before the next wait arrives. A few attentive minutes are useful even if nobody notices. And if someone does ask a question, you already have something better to share than another way to pass time. Public reading should remain sincere rather than becoming a performance designed to attract praise. Sometimes no one will comment, and the time will still be worthwhile. You have received instruction, remembered the Lord, and used a small part of the day well. If someone does ask a question, your attention can move naturally from the page to the person without losing the purpose that brought you there.
Ask something you are willing to hear
Beginning a spiritual conversation doesn't have to mean delivering a speech. Ask what someone is studying, how they became interested, or what they are trying to understand. Then give them room to tell you. A thoughtful question is only useful if we actually want to hear the answer. You may discover a person who needs an introduction to the gospel, a believer seeking encouragement, or someone with a difficult experience they have rarely been able to discuss honestly.
Colossians 4:5–6 calls for wisdom and gracious speech. First Peter 3:15–16 joins readiness with gentleness and respect. We need enough preparation to answer, and enough patience to hear the actual question. It includes listening, recognizing the question being asked, and resisting the urge to settle every issue immediately. A brief encounter may be enough to read one passage together or offer continued study. Avoid implying that you know the whole spiritual history of a stranger after a few minutes. Meet the opportunity actually present, with clear truth and a manner that invites further understanding.
Be willing to receive encouragement
I began ready to talk about Scripture and found myself encouraged by Alan's gratitude. We shouldn't assume we're always the person bringing what somebody else lacks. Sometimes listening is how we receive something we needed. Sometimes their account of learning, repentance, or endurance reminds us of truths we have allowed to become familiar. Listening makes room for that gift. Encouragement within faith often moves in both directions rather than following the roles we assumed at the beginning.
First Thessalonians 1:8–10 describes the news of people turning to serve God spreading beyond their community. A changed life gives people something worth talking about. Gratitude can strengthen the person who hears it as well as the speaker. That account reminds us how news of a changed life can encourage others. Think about the people whose faith has strengthened yours. Their importance may have come through an ordinary conversation rather than a formal lesson. Be willing to learn from another person’s joy while continuing to examine everything by Scripture.
Let gratitude give your faith a voice
What stayed with me was Alan's eagerness to speak about Jesus. He wasn't merely listing new religious activities. He was thankful for what the gospel meant in his life, and that made the conversation personal. He wanted to explain why the gospel mattered. We don't need to embellish our stories to speak with that kind of appreciation. Forgiveness, instruction, fellowship, and hope are already substantial gifts. Remembering them helps us talk about the Lord with sincerity.
First Thessalonians 5:16–18 brings joy, prayer, and thanks into daily faith. Begin there. Read the word, remember God's goodness, and notice the person nearby. You may offer encouragement, and you may be the one who receives it. An ordinary wait may remain quiet, or it may open into an exchange that neither person expected. We can't declare the hidden purpose of every meeting, but we can receive opportunities gratefully and use them well. Keep Scripture close, ask a thoughtful question, and listen. You may have something helpful to share, and you may be the one who leaves encouraged.
Take the idea with you.
- 01Where could you replace distraction with Bible reading?
- 02What question would help you listen rather than assume?
- 03What gift of the gospel can you describe with honest gratitude?
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