A Further Consequence of Writing to Freeman Dyson

Several decades ago I read Freeman Dyson's book, The Greening of the Universe, wrote him a letter, and he wrote back, much to the delight of the physics dept. at the local uni. Since then, I've been away, then back here, and every time my retired physics prof sees me he mentions that letter from Freeman Dyson. Remember this for later.

For some time I've tried to witness of Jesus Christ daily at the nearby McDonald's, which is also close to the local uni. Some things happened recently that discouraged me, so I hadn't tried for a few days. No one seemed like the right one to whom to witness. Last night I asked some prayer warriors to ask Father to get the witnessing thing going again.

Walked into an almost empty McD's. Greeted some retirees I knew to be Christians, including physics prof and wife, etc. Sat and knitted and prayed. One lone student (the group to whom I witness) entered. He didn't seem to be the one. Couldn't not approach him (This is kind of how I know whom to approach.) Yes, he's a student. Yes, I'm welcome to talk, yes, he believes, in God, in Jesus,loves Jesus, tell friends about Jesus (really? I wondered). I said I was very interested in witnessing to nonbelievers and asked how he did so.

Well, he respected their decision if they said they didn't believe. Didn't this mean they would go to hell? Shrug I just happened to have a book of John in my bag and Jn 14:6 says "...no man cometh to the Father but by Me." Didn't that sound like they would go to hell? He seemed impressed and I said it put a burden on my heart for nonbelievers.

Then Dr. Brill, retired physics prof, appeared, and told me about another book by Freeman Dyson, whom he described to the student as a Nobel laureate. Then he told the student about the letter (remember?), which Dr. Brill said made me famous (locally for about 5 seconds in the physics dept.) The student was quite impressed. Dr. Brill, a fine physics and Sunday school teacher, went off, the student enthusiastically accepted a book of John with an athletictic cover, and I left McD's with my senior coffee, thanking God. Maybe another recruiter was recruited. I like to think that the Dyson letter story kept it out of the "crazy old woman quotes Bible" category in the student's head.

You can get Books of John from the Pocket Testament League.