An ex gangster shared his life changing experience with me when I was a pre believer

Romans 2:4, “4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

That day I managed to share my life changing story to one of my Malay colleague. It all started with some casual conversations between us while he was waiting outside my room to meet another colleague sitting in the room next to mine. He jokingly asked me whether I am happy. I replied him saying I am not only happy but also joyful. He corrected me saying happy and joyful meant the same thing but I told him happy depends on feelings and situations while joy is something that is consistent even in the face of trials and tribulations. I then started to explain how God came into my life and how I changed after being a Christian.

I was extremely careful with what I was sharing due to the sensitivity of our religion differences but I was also aware that when I share my life changing testimony, it is something non threatening and non debatable, as compared to theories and philosophy.

I thanked God for this opportunity to reach out to my colleague. This incident also brought to my remembrance how a Christian brother shared his life story in the same manner 10 years ago when I was still a pre believer.

Back then, I was working as a part time Sony sales promoter at SAFE superstore in Bishan Junction 8. During one of the work days, I happened to have lunch with another sales promoter working at the same outlet. At that time, I was not aware he was a Christian. We started to make casual conversation to find out a little more about each other over lunch. It was then when he started to share his life testimony with me. He told me how he used to participate in gang fights, drug parties in hotels behind closed doors, stealing etc. Then one day, God touched his heart during one of the evangelistic outreach at the Indoor Stadium which he attended. He told me at that point onwards, God began to change his life for the better. That night when he got home, the first thing he did was to look for his mother. When he saw her, he cried sorrowfully and hugged his bewildered mother, He then sincerely asked for her forgiveness for all the trouble and worries he had brought onto her for the past few years. His mother was shocked by her rebellious son’s actions but she being touched by her son’s repentance, started to shed tears of joy as well.

I was taken aback by this sales promoter story. I thought he was sharing something very personal with me and I could sense the joy in his tone as he narrates his story with sincerity. Most importantly, I was not a Christian then and I was not able to comprehend how he could turn over a new leaf in such a supernatural manner. I knew there was something good coming out of his life after he accepted Christ. His testimony started to get me pondering about this mysterious force and the reality of Jesus in this world. Somehow I know in my heart that there was something very special about this particular encounter with my colleague.

Years later, after becoming a Christian and learning more about God, I believed he was speaking to me under the anointing of the Holy Spirit during that time. God has used his testimony to catch my attention. I know my colleague had played a pivotal role in watering into my life. From this experience, I have also started to faithfully sow and water seeds of righteousness into other people’s life; desiring them to be touched by God in a supernatural way too. Praise God.

Steve