A Voice in Wartime

“Always be ready to tell anyone who asks about the hope you have, and do it gently.” — from 1 Peter 3

In 1939 another great war began. Jack was forty, too old to fight. But within days, a group of schoolgirls from London came to live at the Kilns, to be safe from the bombs. More children came over the next few years. Jack had never had much to do with children, but he found that he rather enjoyed them!

One Sunday in 1940, sitting in church, Jack had an idea for a book. It would be letters from an old devil to a young devil, teaching him how to lead a man away from God. Everything in it was upside down! It was called The Screwtape Letters, and people loved it. When the letters first came out in a paper, Jack was paid for each one. He gave the money away to help widows.

Then the BBC asked Jack to give talks on the radio. In 1941, while the war went on, people all over Britain switched on their radios and heard his deep, friendly voice explaining what Christians believe. He spoke plainly, like someone talking sense across a kitchen table. Hundreds of people wrote to him. The talks were later made into a book, Mere Christianity, which has helped many, many people come to faith.

Jack also travelled to air force bases to talk to young airmen. At first he found it very hard. He learned to use simple words and to listen to their questions.

Jack became famous. He knew that being famous could make him proud. So almost every week, for twelve years, he told his sins to a wise old priest called Father Adams. And he gave away most of the money from his books to people in need.

Jack was not a minister, but he was ready to tell people about Jesus in words they could understand. You do not need to be clever or famous to share your hope in Jesus. You can simply tell someone, kindly, what Jesus means to you.

Dear Jesus, help me to be ready to tell others about you, gently and kindly. Keep me from being proud. Amen.