I did not shrink from declaring to you
anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to
house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (ESV)
This is an
amazing description of what true evangelism looks like. It makes my milquetoast efforts
laughable. First, Paul was not
embarrassed to say whatever it took if he thought it would help someone know
Jesus. Second, he did not hesitate to
speak anywhere, both in public and in private.
Third, he was willing to talk with anyone, both his own people who knew
him and had some background on which he could build and those who were
strangers to him and knew nothing of what he was preaching.
Look at each of
these in your own life. Are there some
things you are unwilling to say, even if you know they are right and would help
a person, simply because they are unpopular?
Are there places where you will not talk about matters of faith, perhaps
because you have been told that it is just not appropriate in such a
circumstance? Are there people with whom
you will not speak about Jesus because you feel awkward or uncertain?
I could spend
all day responding to these questions because I have so many answers to
them. Sadly, there is nothing I will not
say about, nowhere I will not describe, and no one with whom I will not share
my favorite pizza joint.
Jesus, I want so much to be like Paul.
Help me to grow up and be mature in the faith, even if it costs me some
relational capital or embarrassment.
Give me the strength to live out Your call on my life. Amen.
Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins
No comments:
Post a Comment
While I welcome comments, even those that disagree with something I have written, I will delete any comment that is profane, vulgar, threatening, or in poor taste.