My friend, who is a cradle Orthodox, was often asked about the Church in her office. She answered questions whenever she was able but tried to avoid any debate. As most of the people in her office ate at their desks, people always noticed when she was fasting (we live in a state in the US where any kind of vegetarian eating would have been noticed and commented on).
She never argued with any of her coworkers, but always invited them to church if they had questions or offered to loan them books, etc.
When she announced that she was leaving that workplace to come and work in my office, everyone came by to wish her well. A hardened atheist, who had often joined in any religious discussions going on with insults and jokes, came to say good bye. He told her that if he were going to become Christian, he wanted to be the kind that she was. He said he\'d been watching her for slip ups and signs of falseness and hypocrisy for the three years they worked together so that he could know that she was just as bad as the other Christians. However, she had never given him a reason to make fun of her faith. She never tried to force her faith on others or preach or criticize. She just lived the way an Orthodox Christian should. He said that he wasn\'t yet convinced of anything, but he knew that he\'d be Orthodox if he ever became Christian. Then he asked her to pray for him.
I hope that I\'ll be able to be that kind of example for people (although I think it\'s more likely that I\'d be an example of what not to do). It seems to me that that sort of example can soften the hearts of people faster and more completely than any brilliant argument.
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