Finding good in all the bad

Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”

Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.) So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.- Joshua 2:1-7

This story talks about two Isrealites going into enemy territory - spies - who are still able to find someone with an interest in helping their cause. In fact, she tells the two men that she supports their cause and wants them to save her family in return for her not telling on them.

It's amazing to me how we can find hope, help, and encouragement even in the darkest places. I remember once being in Taiwan and surrounded by Buddhists and other non-believers. In the midst of all of this, as we're talking about spirituality and some other things, one of the women came up to me after dinner and said, "I just want you to know that I'm a Christian. My husband doesn't know God, but I do. I just wanted to tell you." That conversation changed my whole journey. Even though I was in the country for business, I was feeling the darkness of not knowing people who believed like I did. In her, I felt like I'd found a helper or encourager - someone to talk to while I spent 10 days in a foreign land. We only talked a couple of times, always at dinner and surrounded by others, but we had an unspoken agreement to encourage each other during my trip.

I still have friends in Taiwan. They are still not Christians, at least as far as I know. But I know now that wherever I go, I will find someone willing to help me with my mission - a brother or sister in Christ. It encourages me, at least, to ask.

Maybe you've been afraid to talk to your friends about Christ because of what they might think of you. You might be surprised to know that there's probably your own Rahab in the group.