“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
The other night I saw a commercial on television that started out by saying something like “There’s great news! Breakthroughs have been made in the medication for pretendinitis (I don’t remember the real disease) and now sufferers only have to take one pill a month, instead of five pills a day, and their symptoms will remain normal!” And I sat there and thought to myself: That really isn’t great news… I don’t have pretendinitis… I don’t have to take any pills… In fact, I’ve never even heard of that disease!
How is that great news? It doesn’t apply to me. Maybe to someone else it would be comforting. But to me…? It’s worthless information.
But here’s the thing: As Christians we witness to a world that is convinced there is nothing wrong with the way they are living. They are entirely comfortable with their drinking and their fornication and their selfish ambitions and all the consequences that come with that sort of lifestyle. So, to them the gospel of salvation—the good news of our redemption and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ—doesn’t seem relevant. They think of it the same as we think of a medical breakthrough for some disease that we don’t have. But the sad truth of it is that they do need Christ and we have a responsibility to not only tell them about the salvation of Jesus Christ but also, when necessary, we have to make them realize, by speaking the truth in love, that they have a real need for Him. That is a difficult burden to bear to a world that lives without shame and is directed by hypocritical notions of tolerance for the intolerable. How are we to reach them?
If the best way to learn something is by watching how it is done then the best way to teach is by doing things correctly. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use words (you most certainly should) but I am saying that sometimes people pick up on little things we do and make conjectures both good and bad. So keep yourself in check.
“In all things [show] yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you” Titus 2: 7-8
Witnessing is not always easy. There are certainly right ways and wrong ways to present the Truth to people. Pray that God will give you opportunities to reach the lost people around you. The people you see everyday. Pray that God will give you the courage and the strength to be bold about the good news of salvation.
Great entry. It was encouraging to me.
My husband, Dan, has a good friend he used to work with. They loved to work together, I don’t think there is anyone he’d rather build a house with. They were like brothers. The only thing is that his friend is not saved. He is faithful to his wife, a good father, a good worker, in contrast to others fairly moral, and successful. Dan shared Christ with him many times, but his friend does not see himself as a sinner. He claims that if there is truly a God, he’s probably doing okay in God’s eyes. He moved to Hawaii and we visited him there. He and his wife were watching us, asking us questions, but still didn’t feel that they needed God, they are doin okay in their own eyes. This can be the most frustrating sort of person to witness to.
And yet… they are watching us. And watching other Christians. For a decade now, they have watched from afar. They are impressed that Dan & I have stayed married and are still best friends. They ask what our secret is. So, we tell them. They occasionally keep in touch and ask raising kids type questions. They now homeschool their 2 little girls. Well, it’s hard to homeschool and not come in contact with other Christian families. So many of their new friends are saved. The group they homeschool through is a church, which they attend sporadically. Have they been saved? Not yet. But the job of witnessing who Christ is, is never over whether in word or deed. God may well be drawing them near.
Being shy is a common excuse (I used to feel this way, still do) not to witness with words. But I found that truly asking God to use me , if He would, if He was really drawing someone to Him, that I was willing to speak, helped a good deal. You know, pray. I have actually had people ask outright what salvation was all about. Well, then I could explain. I once was at a gathering where I knew very few people, and the conversation lent itself to the gospel. I made a few comments and then the lady questioning asked me outright and directly if I could explain from Adam & Eve to Jesus, to the present, as she never heard the story completely. So, I did. I didn’t even know I could. God gives the words when He wishes them to be spoken. But our actions are so much more our responsibility. That is where I can consciously work to overcome rough spots in my character, and allow God to change me so that I can be a decent witness of who He is. I’m not there yet. The good news is that He can use us anyway.
God Bless.