SUBSCRIBE NOW

SIGHT

Be informed. Be challenged. Be inspired.

THIS LIFE: DON’T BE ASHAMED TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

People talking together

US columnist CAROL ROUND, in an article first published on ASSIST News Service, looks at why Christians should never be ashamed to share the Gospel…

Grove, Oklahoma, US
Via ASSIST News Service

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” – Romans 1:16 (NIV).

People talking together

PICTURE: Kate Kalvach/Unsplash

Is it difficult for you to share the Good News of Jesus Christ? Does fear of ridicule stop you from sharing? Maybe you don’t share because you think only your pastor or an evangelist, like Billy Graham, can be successful in the quest to tell others about the greatest news ever. You’re not alone.

But God isn’t looking for all-stars. After her father passed, Anne Graham Lotz described her daddy, Billy Graham like this: “When I think of him, I don’t think of Billy Graham, the public figure. I think of my Daddy. The one who was always a farmer at heart. Who loved his dogs and his cat, who followed the weather patterns almost as closely as he did world events. He wore old blue jeans, comfortable sweaters, and a baseball cap, loved lukewarm coffee, sweet iced tea, one scoop of ice cream, and a plain hamburger from McDonald’s.”

Continuing, she added, “God is not looking for all-stars. He already has an all-star, named Jesus. He is just looking for ordinary people who will follow the all-star, Jesus, with unwavering hearts. That’s you and me!”

If anyone had an unwavering heart, it was the Apostle Paul. He was singular in his mission. Wherever he traveled, he preached Christ crucified. Whether it was the Pharisees or the philosophers in Athens, he preached the Good News. Many said he was out-of-his mind.

How would you feel if those in the crowds called you crazy?  Even with his reputation as a scholar and wise person, I’m sure Paul was hurt. He understood the truth of the Gospel message. But the crowds’ responses didn’t stop him. He laid the hurt aside, willing to be labeled a fool for his beliefs. All for the sake of Christ.

Even today, sharing the Gospel exposes us to ridicule. But, it’s not about us. Paul understood that.

Sometimes it’s difficult to let go of the pain when we share the truth of God’s Holy Word and we’re rejected. I’ve been there and it hurt when a relative dismissed my overtures to plant those seeds. That was 17 years ago. Since then, I’ve learned it’s not about me but what God has called me to do. I had to let go of the hurt.

Learning to let His light shine through me has led to many opened doors and opportunities to share my faith. But until I was able to deal with my own sins and failures, releasing them to Jesus, I was fearful of sharing my story. This anonymous quote says it all: “Your story is the key that can unlock someone else’s prison.”

Until we let go of our shame, we’re still locked in a prison of our own making. When we seek freedom from out past through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, He sets us free. Escaping from our prison walls isn’t just for our benefit. It’s so we can help others discover Jesus.

Learning to use opportunities as they arise helps us to share our faith. God will open those doors of opportunity if we will only ask.

Establishing a connection with others at the grocery store, gym, or other places is easy if we’ll open our eyes and ears. When an opportunity arises, based on what someone says or what I observe, I use it to share part of my story. For example, while checking out, either the checker or someone else in line might make a comment about one of my purchases or comment on the weather.  I can usually find an opening to insert an anecdote about what Jesus has done or is doing in my life.

Those opportunities usually, but not always, open the conversation to more sharing. Even if the person I’m conversing with is already a believer, I know others nearby can hear the exchange.

God uses the ordinary, us, to tell people about Jesus. The possibilities are endless if we’re following His leading. Writer/director Jamie Paolinetti said, “Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.”

We don’t have to be ashamed or fearful about sharing our faith. Like Paul, we should all be singular in our mission to bring others to Christ.

I Peter 3:15 reminds us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”

~ www.carolaround.com

 

Donate



sight plus logo

Sight+ is a new benefits program we’ve launched to reward people who have supported us with annual donations of $26 or more. To find out more about Sight+ and how you can support the work of Sight, head to our Sight+ page.

Musings

TAKE PART IN THE SIGHT READER SURVEY!

We’re interested to find out more about you, our readers, as we improve and expand our coverage and so we’re asking all of our readers to take this survey (it’ll only take a couple of minutes).

To take part in the survey, simply follow this link…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.