Stone...it's more than just a name

Ezekiel 36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

What a beautiful day for street ministry! Mid-70’s and sunny…the perfect Rochester day. I had the opportunity to witness to a young black man who went by the name of “Stone” It only took a few moments to realize that “Stone” was more than just his name…it was the condition of his heart. He didn’t want to hear anything I had to say, and he wouldn’t take a gospel tract. I asked him if he had ever got a tract before…”it’s garbage” he said, “I crumple em’ up and throw em’ away” - (That response usually denotes some aversion to the gospel message.) I asked him where he was going when he died…no answer. After I suggested Heaven or Hell, he said he’d figure it out when he got there. I warned him it would be too late, “for it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” I got a little more witnessing in when he told me to stop harassing him. I apologized immediately and explained I wasn’t trying to harass him, but trying to warn him, and I walked away.
I listened to Dave Baker preach a little, and Stone leaned up against a pole by the bus stop. I don’t know if he was listening, but I think he understood that I really didn’t want to harass him.
Well after Andy Hinds preached and we were getting close to heading out. I had some million dollar bills and a different tract called “Why Christianity” that answers some really good questions from http://www.livingwaters.com. I put the million dollar bill in the "Why Christianity" tract and went over and handed to Stone. “I got a million dollars for you Stone” I said handing him the tract. (This bill looks so real that it catches people off guard.) He caught himself smiling at the offer, and I told him I was leaving and asked him if he’d just take the “Why Christianity” tract with the bill and see if it answered any of his questions. He shook his head taking the tract and I walked away. Pray for Stone!
Pray that God’s word can break up that stony heart, and that he would repent of his sins and put his trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 23:29 - Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?